Winning Hearts
by Kiya Sama
Summary: Waya/Hika/Aki It is time for the annual International Go Championships in NYC and Shindo, Touya, Ochi and Waya have been chosen as Japan's representatives. Can three boys finally find the guts to tell each other how they really feel?
1. Prologue

**Pairings:** HikaxAkixWaya

**Warnings:** Shounen-ai and yaoi situations.

**Disclaimers:** Characters are copyright of Shueisha & Studio Pierrot. I make no money off this.

**Author's Notes:** This is my first attempt at a Hikaru no Go fic and I will try my utmost best to keep to the facts of the Go world. This story follows no real timeline and the boys are about seventeen years of age. I have watched some episodes of the show and stopped around Chapter 143 of the manga, so if any thing is out of order…it is purely done for the story.

**New Notes:** It's 2008, almost three or four? Years since I finished this story and I've gone back to make some edits and to polish this baby up. By now, the rules above no longer really apply since all episodes and the manga have been watched and read already. All the same, it's a nostalgic look back at one of the most fun anime shows ever created. Enjoy!

**Winning Hearts**

Everyone in the game room held their breath in anticipation as they watched the three men walk to the front of it. Shinoda sensei, owner of the Go Institute beamed proudly and coughed in preparation for his speech.

"Good evening to all of you. I am sure that you are all as excited as I am to hear the chosen members that will represent Japan in this year's Pro Go International Championships in New York City. You have all worked hard these past few weeks and as you know, only the top four passers will get to attend and represent our country."

He stopped to smile at the two men that flanked his sides and turning to face the eager faces before him, he continued.

"We do believe that we have a really strong contingent this year and we have really high hopes for the four of you. And now…in no particular order, the four chosen representatives are…Touya Akira…please step to the front of the class if you are called."

All eyes turned to face the stoic boy who rose elegantly to his feet. If he was excited at the news, he was doing a very good at hiding it from the others for his features gave nothing away. He bowed slightly in front of Shinoda and accepted the handshakes from the other men, before turning to face the class with his hands clasped behind him.

"Next up…Ochi Kousuke."

The small bespectacled boy rose to his feet and walked just as calmly to the front of the class. There was, also, no real expression of joy on his face and like Akira before him, he bowed and accepted the handshakes dutifully.

"Third member…Waya Yoshitaka."

"Alright!" The spiky redhead jumped to his feet, stopping to give a high-five to the boy that had been sitting next to him. With a grin as wide as ever, he ran to the front of the class and bowed before the officials before standing next to Akira.

"And last but not least…Hikaru Shindo!"

"YEAH! I made it!" The vivacious teen jumped to his feet and ran to the front of the class, narrowly avoiding falling over the other Pros sitting on the floor. He resisted the urge to hug Shinoda sensei or the other men, but that didn't stop him from slapping Waya's back in exuberance. "We did it, Waya!" he whispered in excitement as the teacher continued to talk in the background.

Waya winked and gave him a victory sign. "We sure did, Shindo. New York City, here we come!"

Hikaru grinned and glanced at Ochi who looked like he was suffering from a bad stomachache to Touya…whose expression remained as blank as ever.

_Well, at least Waya seems normal,_ Hikaru thought to himself. _This is going to be great!_

Shinoda gazed at the young men with pride. He had a gut feeling that for the first time in so many years, their country had a good shot at claiming the long elusive title.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you…Team Japan!"

This announcement sent the four boys bowing at the round of applause that quickly followed. And although each tried, in their various ways to contain their anticipation and excitement, there was no doubt in their minds that they had a very long road ahead of them.

The road to discovery was just beginning…


	2. We are going to be roommates!

**Part One:**

"We are going to what?!"

Ogata winced at the loud scream from the bleached blond, but managed to retain his composure. He eyed Hikaru with a wary look and sighed. "You are all going to be roommates," he reiterated slowly. "It is the rule and there is no getting around it, sorry.

He was currently standing in the lobby of the airport, with the four boys sitting before him. Parents and well-wishers lined the long hall, as cameras flashed from the local and national press. Puffing out a cloud of smoke from his cigarette, he pushed his glasses higher up the bridge of his nose and stared at the mortified expressions on their faces.

"What is the problem now?"

Waya was the first to break the silence. "No way in hell am I rooming with _him_!"

_Him _just happened to be Touya, who tightened his jaw at the way Waya had spoken about him, but it looked like the redhead wasn't finished. "I would rather sleep in a room full of snakes than to sleep with Mr. Personality!"

"Keep your voice down, Yoshikata or I will take you out of team," Ogata chided coldly. "The press is beginning to notice the way you are acting. How will it look if they see the disunity on the team already? Now, you will either behave yourself or you will be kicked out, got it?"

"Yeah…yeah." Waya pouted and slouched lower in his seat. He turned his head to glare out of the large glass windows, hardly noticing that Hikaru had moved closer to him. "That guy irritates me!"

"Who? Ogata-sensei or…"

"Touya! Who else? Hell, for the past week he's been acting like he is above us or something!"

Hikaru shrugged lightly and stared out of the window as well. It was taking all of his strength not to run around in excitement. He had never been out of the country before and the sight of the large airplanes so close to him, sent all thoughts of the games ahead out of his mind. He was going to New York City…to _America_! He had tons of American stuff in his collection, ranging from the music he listened to; to the tons of clothes he bought every week. He wasn't good at speaking English fluently, but he was sure that he could manage well and besides Ochi was much smarter and could act as a translator.

"Have you ever flown before, Waya?"

The redhead shook his head and quickly lost his sullen look. "It is kinda exciting, isn't it? We get to meet all sorts of people and have tons and tons of fun…"

"The time for fun will come once we win the title," Ogata interrupted them calmly. "I do not want you all going there with the notion that this is just another field trip. Remember that we're going against some fifty or so countries and one misstep could get us out of the competition."

"Gee…put the pressure on us, why don't you?" Hikaru muttered, earning a chuckle from Waya and a snort from Ochi. Hikaru turned to face the smaller boy and nudged him playfully. "You ever been out of the country before, Ochi-kun?"

"No. But my grandfather has. He went to Korea for a Go competition and that's about it."

All three fell silent, only to turn their heads (as if on cue) to their silent companion, who was currently reading a book. Hikaru opened his mouth to ask, but snapped it shut as Waya beat him to the punch.

"What about you, _Touya-kun_? Ever been out of the country before?"

"I bet he has," Ochi replied. "His father would have traveled and taken him to some places."

Akira seemed a bit surprised that they had actually spoken to him and he nodded cautiously. "I have been out of the country once with my father. I was about six at the time."

Hikaru raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Where did you guys go to?"

"China…and then England."

Waya made a face. "Geez…that's two places."

The 6-Dan laughed sheepishly. "Oh, sorry. But he was taking a tour after winning another Meijin title…and so he took I and my mother."

"No need to rub it in, Touya. We get the idea." Waya turned back to face the window, but not before muttering 'show off' to himself.

Hikaru, on the other hand, was quite curious now. He moved away from Waya, failing to notice the small look of surprise on the redhead's features, and sat next to Touya, failing to also notice the small gasp of surprise that escaped the reserved boy's features. "Tell me more about England. Are you good at speaking English?"

"I…uh…I…" Akira found himself blushing furiously at the close proximity and for an instant completely forgot what he had planned to say, but gratefully, a member of the press walked up to them, announcing that it was time for their final news conference.

Groans from Hikaru and Waya were heard as they all rose to their feet, shuffling wearily towards the microphones that had been placed for them. They had been forced to wear black suits and they all looked rather dashing in them. The past week had been a whirlwind of press conferences, photo shoots, TV interviews and barely enough time to practice. But it was Sai, Hikaru's friendly spirit that had been the most excited of them all. The thought of seeing other countries playing Go had sent the kind-hearted ghost almost dizzy with anticipation.

Goodbyes, hugs and tears were given and shed as loved ones sent the boys off to the terminal. Hikaru shouldered his backpack and grinned at Akari, his parents and his grandfather. "See you guys in two weeks! And we are going to bring back the Cup too!"

Waya snickered and grabbed him in a playful headlock. "Tough words coming from your mouth, boy! You ready to back it up?"

"Bring it on! I will kick your ass anytime!"

Ogata didn't even bother trying to stop the two playful boys behind him. At least he had Ochi and Akira who were the more serious types. Speaking of Akira…he glanced at the quiet boy who walked alongside him. He couldn't help feeling a bit worried about his reserved nature. It had always worked for the boy in the past, but for this event, Ogata was hoping that Akira would have been more comfortable with the others.

_I hope you can make friends soon, Touya. I know it might not mean much to you, but you are going to have to depend on these three boys for the next two weeks. Communication is going to be key._

Akira blinked and glanced at Ogata, wondering why the older man had such a serious expression on his face. "Is everything alright, sensei?" he asked softly.

The blond nodded and focused his attention back on the road ahead. "Hai, Touya. Everything is just fine."

Throughout the flight, Waya and Ochi suffered from airsickness, while Hikaru tried to keep awake as much as possible. It was a long trip and there was a lot to do on the plane. They had been treated to first class accommodation and so they had good food, cool games to play and awesome movies to watch.

Waya and Hikaru were seat partners, while Akira and Ochi were forced to be together. Needless to say, one side of the cabin was quite noisy and messy, while the other side was quiet and neat.

"Gosh…I wish they would let us see what the cockpit looked like," Hikaru mumbled as he watched yet another airhostess blush at Akira's greeting. He rolled his eyes and yelped as Waya clutched his shirt.

"Oh man…I think I'm gonna barf again," came the weak groan from the red head.

"Not on my shirt, dude! Cut that out!"

Akira and Ochi tore their eyes from their books to stare at the struggling duo, while Ogata prayed for the flight to be over, for the urge to throw Hikaru and Waya out of the plane was now overwhelming. He placed the black blindfold over his eyes and tried for the umpteenth time to go to sleep; vowing to make sure that both boys practiced extra hours for their bad behavior.

Hikaru opened his eyes and blinked them wearily. It was still dark outside and according to the small TV screen that scrolled out information, they were currently flying over Canada.

_Almost there…_

He tried to shift into a more comfortable position on his seat, wincing as he felt Waya's head on his shoulder. He couldn't help blushing as he noticed that the other boy's hand was on his lap. Hell! Waya was practically lying on top of him.

_Oh man…I need to go to the bathroom. You couldn't move him off, could you Sai?_

The spirit, whose eyes were still glued outside the window, raised his hands as if saying 'I am a ghost, remember??'

_Great help you are._ Hikaru grumbled. He tried to move again, and this time his gaze fell to the seat across him, only to gasp as those familiar intense green eyes stared right back at him. He swallowed tightly and unconsciously clenched his hands into tight fists.

The heat that always came from staring into his rival's eyes flared down his spine and he was sure that his face was as red as a Christmas bow by now. Why was Akira looking at him in that way? As if he hated him for some unknown reason.

"Touya…" he whispered softly, only to hiss in a sharp breath as Waya shifted and placed his hands right on his groin. "Damn it!" He jumped to his feet quickly, completely ignoring the boy's mumbled curses and ran towards the small bathroom. Locking himself in, he sat down on the toilet seat and tried to still his thudding heart.

_What…what the hell was that?! First Touya looking at me as if I had done something wrong and then….Waya?? Why…what…oh man…_

He was now hopelessly aware of how hard he was. He needed release and this was all thanks to Waya's hands and Akira's gaze. Unable to hold back any longer, his hands unzipped his pants quickly, reaching to clasp the hardened flesh that begged to be touched. He closed his eyes and leaned back on the seat, the images of the two boys filling his mind as he began to work out his frustration.

A particularly naughty one flashed through and biting his lower lip tightly, he arched off the seat, stroking harder and faster, as Akira and Waya's names were uttered like a mantra weakly. He cried out softly as an intense orgasm ripped through his body and collapsing on the seat, he tried to control his rapid breathing. He opened his eyes, noticing with faint embarrassment, that he had stained the wall with his semen.

"Thanks a lot you guys," he whispered as he rose to his feet weakly to clean himself up. "I don't want to keep doing this throughout this damn tournament." He washed his face and stared at his reflection in the mirror, clenching his hands into fists and frowning in determination.

"The next two weeks are dedicated to winning the Cup for my country. I don't have time to think of my personal feelings for anyone. I have to focus and concentrate on my games and never, _ever_ let them _know_!"


	3. Hikaru's first kiss?

**Part Two:**

"Wooow! Toooooo cool!"

"I hear you!"

"The Statue of Liberty! Look! It's the Statue of Liberty!"

"I think we've already seen that Ochi-kun. You don't have to keep yelling!"

"I think it's safe to say that this is the first time that Ochi has ever had such an expression on his face."

"Shut up, both of you!"

"Make us!"

"I despise you two!"

"We hate you too, so there!"

The young Japanese-American girl, who had the unfortunate job of being their tour guide, gave a shaky laugh and tried to stop the three boys from pouncing on each other. She wondered why they couldn't be as well mannered as the boy with the shoulder length hair. He was nice, polite and not bad to look at either.

"Ah…uum…oh dear…and if you would look to the right, you will notice that we are now passing Central Park…"

"Cool! Lemme see! Get out of the way, Waya!"

"You get out! You've been hogging the window all by yourself for the past few…"

"Boys!"

Ogata's sharp tone sent Hikaru and Waya silent and both promptly sat down quietly on their seats but not before jabbing each other, with their elbows, for being the spoilsport. Ogata glared at them in warning before turning to face the young woman. He motioned for her to continue, which she did with a small sigh of relief.

They had arrived at La Guardia airport about an hour or so ago, to a flurry of flashbulbs and questions from the inquisitive press. It was the first time that the United States would be hosting the event and so it was considerably big news for the media. Several other countries had arrived at the same time and so the airport had been filled with young men from different backgrounds all looking nervous and excited. Each team was given a small bus to transport them to the hotel they were to stay in. The Grand Marriott had been chosen as the designated accommodation for the year.

Ogata had been to the States before, so all of this wasn't new to him. He couldn't help smiling softly at the awed looks on the young men's faces, even more so at Akira, who despite himself, was sent gawking at some of the impressive sights.

All too soon, the tour guide and ride was over and they were forced to disembark in front of the large hotel.

"Gosh…never been in any place this huge before," Waya mumbled as they were ushered into the lobby.

Ogata motioned for them to wait there for him, while he went ahead to secure their rooms at the front desk. A group of boys wearing blue blazers with a British insignia on their arms waved at them cheerfully. The Japanese contingent waved back with winning grins, only to stop as they noticed the smirking look on the Chinese team's visage. They, too, were waiting in line to be assigned their room numbers.

"Grr...those bastards. They are practically laughing at us."

Hikaru nodded at Waya's observations, noticing that the familiar faces of China's strongest players, Li Ping, Yang Hai, Wang Xin and Zhao Shi were there.

"They are sure going to be tough to beat," Hikaru said lightly.

"They are not unbeatable," Ochi retorted coldly. "We just have to stick to our game plan and crush them."

Waya laughed and slapped Ochi's back only to withdraw it quickly at the icy look that was thrown his way. "Well, you've got a point there…huh? What the hell are they laughing at?"

The Chinese team were currently whispering amongst themselves and chuckling and the Japanese boys couldn't help feeling like they were being made fun of.

"Kuso! Can't any of you make out what they are saying?" Waya spat in frustration.

For several minutes, no one said anything until Akira finally spoke up. "I think they are saying that we are going to be pushovers," he said quietly.

The other three boys blinked at the highest ranked Pro with mixtures of surprise on their faces. "Sheesh…you speak Chinese too?" Hikaru grumbled.

Akira nodded curtly, his eyes still pinned on the laughing team. "Only a little."

Hikaru took another glance at his long-time rival, noticing that the hard edge had come back into Akira's tone. That intense look was now in those amazing green eyes and the bleached-blond could feel his body tingling with adrenaline. It was the look that he always had before they played a game. That look of deadly quietness that sent many of his opponents trembling in fear. He didn't fail to notice that Waya was staring intently at Akira as well, and for a moment, Hikaru could have sworn that the red head was actually blushing.

_Hn…probably my imagination._

It couldn't be denied that Akira had a powerful presence and aura about him. Quiet and reserved, he exuded an air of self-confidence that had the tendency to make everyone else around him pale in comparison. He had the height, the looks and quite frankly many thought he was a bit too good to be true. As passionate for Go as he was quiet in other aspects of his life, Akira Touya was a force to be reckoned with.

And this, Waya and Hikaru knew only too well.

The 4-Dan snorted and shook his head. "Well, tell _them _that we are going to wipe the floor with their faces. Those little..."

"OH, MY GOSH! IS THAT AKIRA TOUYA?"

All four spun around at the loud squeal, not really understanding what the person had said except that Akira's name had been called out. They came face-to-face with four other boys each wearing small American flag pins on their black blazers. The squeal had come from a dark-haired one, who looked about seventeen and was just as tall as Touya. The boy was slack-jawed and he seemed frozen in place.

Akira's face flushed with embarrassment as the Chinese team behind him burst out laughing. It wasn't that he disliked the fact that he was famous in the Go world; it was just the extra attention that bothered him.

The American broke out of his mini-trance and grinned widely. "It is you, isn't it? You are Touya Akira, right? I see your picture everyday in...HIKARU SHINDO? Holy Crow...and WAYA and...and...OCHI? Oh man...you can count us out this year, guys! These guys are awesome!"

"Christ, Matt. Keep kissing their asses and make us look like idiots."

"But...Chris...these guys are the best...well, second only to those other guys." He pointed to the Chinese team, before sighing softly. "Man...we are toast this year. If we make it to the prelims, _that_ would be a blessing."

The one named Chris cuffed Matt. "Jesus! And you are our captain? Have a little faith in us, will ya?"

He walked up to the stumped Japanese team and held out his hand to Touya with a small smile. "Hi! I know you guys probably don't hear much of what I say but...I just want to wish you guys good luck in the competition."

Akira managed a small smile and accepted the handshake. He had managed to grasp Chris's words and he quickly translated it to the others.

"Oh." Waya gave a small sigh of relief. "At least they are much better than those bastards."

Hikaru grinned and stepped closer to the Americans. "Ohayo!" He greeted and bowed, hoping that the boys would take the cue. It would be nice to make some friends here, especially friends that lived in the country.

Matt laughed out loud and motioning for his other teammates to do the same, he bowed and greeted Hikaru amiably. "Ohayo to you too! And welcome to our home!"

Hikaru tried to stifle a yawn as they all stepped out of the elevator that had taken them to their designated floor. A combination of jet lag and having to deal with the loud American boys had caused his sudden weariness. He leaned heavily against Waya, resting his head upon the other boy's shoulder.

"Mmmm...carry me, darling. You are sooooooo warm," he joked lightly, wondering if Waya would take that just as playfully or push him away in disgust. He was pleasantly surprised at the actions that happened next. Waya wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him closer to his lean body, causing Hikaru's eyes to widen and his face to flush with heat.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," came the husky whisper from the redhead, as he placed a soft kiss on the blond locks. "I'm here to take care of you."

Hikaru lifted his gaze to Waya's with a question in them, only to see the teasing glint in the other's golden depths.

_Oh...he was just teasing me,_ Hikaru thought morosely. _I really thought that he was serious..._

_Then why hasn't he let you go, Hikaru?_ Sai asked with a knowing grin.

Sure enough, Waya's grip hadn't slackened and Hikaru's heart skipped another beat. With a happy sigh, he wrapped his arms around Waya's waist, only to gasp softly as his skin prickled with awareness. He spun his head around, sucking in a harsh breath as he locked gazes with Touya. Shindo's heart pounded with confusion and something else he couldn't define as those intense green eyes stared at him impassively.

_Touya...would I ever be able to hold you like this, without making you hate me even more? If only you knew how much I wish to be in your arms._

His cause for dismay heightened as Akira snorted lightly and turned his face away. The dark-haired boy quickened his stride and caught up to Ogata, deliberately ignoring the two boys that were still hugging each other. If one had looked closely, he or she would have noticed the clenched fists at Akira's sides, or even the look of pain that had now filled his eyes.

Sai noticed, but the gentle spirit could do nothing but only sigh in sorrow.

_/ Open your eyes, Hikaru and Waya. Touya needs you both just as much. /_

"Here we are," the concierge announced with a flourish as he opened the semi-lavish suite for them. "It is a two bedroom suite, each with double beds and one main bathroom, that connects both rooms. We have the spacious dining area and a mini-kitchen with a well-stocked fridge for whatever you desire. Over here, is the living room where, as you can see, we have a rather large flat-screen TV for your viewing pleasure. Video games and cable and laptop outlets are available too. This glass door leads to the patio that gives you a wonderful view of Central Park and the city itself. And over there we have a small office or as most of our clients like to call them…dens," he added with a light chuckle. "So, then…are there any questions you would like to..."

"We get first dibs on that room!" Waya interrupted with a loud yell as he pulled a protesting Hikaru into one of the large bedrooms. With its Victorian theme, the soft creamy pastel colors gave the room a sense of romance and intrigue. The beds were large enough for two people to sleep in and it had been draped with matching cream-colored silky sheets. There was a small glass door that led to yet another patio and Waya was quick to explore the area.

"Wow…this is so awesome, Hikaru! Come look!"

"Mmmmm….leave me alone. I'm beat," came the muffled reply, as Hikaru buried his face into the fluffy pillows. He didn't even bother to take off his shoes and in mere moments, he was out like a light.

"You can almost see the entire city from here, Hikaru! I wonder what it would look like at night…" Waya's gaze softened at the thought as leaned his head against the cool metal railings. To spend the night looking at the stars with Hikaru and To…

_Gah! What the hell am I thinking? We came here to have a competition and nothing else!_

But he still couldn't get the moment of feeling Hikaru touch him, rather intimately, or Touya's intense gaze out of his mind. Feeling his body tingle with warmth, he wrapped his arms around his waist and cursed softly. No use worrying about things that were never going to happen. He might as well learn how to fly with wings at this rate. With a heavy sigh, he walked back into the room, idly noticing that a goban and stones had been placed in a corner. Their luggage had been brought in as well and Waya, feeling exhausted, fell back on his bed and stared at the baroque ceiling.

_It's been five years. Five long years of trying to hide my true feelings from the two of you._

He lay on his side and stared at the sleeping figure of Hikaru, knowing that he wasn't awake and so couldn't hear his whispered thoughts.

"I thought it would be a passing thing, Shindo. I would see you as only a brother and that was it, right? But no…as I watched you and Touya, I came to realize that this need to protect and be with you two…has nothing brotherly involved. At least I can talk to you and you don't suspect a thing…but as for _him_…I might as well try talking to a brick wall."

He slid off his bed and walked over to Hikaru's bed, carefully taking off the blond's shoes. He silently debated within himself on whether or not to take off Shindo's clothes, but deciding that the blond might kick his butt later on for doing so, Waya settled for pulling back the sheets and carefully tucking them around his now snoring teammate.

A warm light filled his eyes as Waya gradually stilled his movements. Hikaru looked…

"So beautiful…" he whispered achingly and unable to stop himself, he leaned closer to the slightly parted moist lips.

_Just a taste…you wouldn't even feel it…_

Mere inches separated them now and Waya could feel Hikaru's warm breath mingle with his. With a tiny groan of need, he closed his eyes and was just about to press his lips gently against Shindo's, when the sound of a light cough sent him reeling back in shock and embarrassment.

"To…To…Touya!"

The dark-haired boy's visage gave nothing away, for it remained painfully devoid of emotion. But it was his voice that gave his obvious state away, for it trembled slightly.

"Ogata asked me to see if you had a goban in your room."

Waya could only nod mutely, his face flaming red now. Hikaru shifted restlessly in his bed and both boys' gaze flew to him, only to turn away quickly as they realized what they were doing.

Touya gripped the doorknob even tighter and gave a curt nod. "I am sorry for interrupting. Perhaps you should lock the door next time."

And with that, he walked out of the room, leaving Waya staring blindly at the floor in dismay.


	4. Akira's problem

**Part Three**:

Ochi eyed his roommate with wariness as he slowly unpacked his own luggage. If Akira was angry or disgusted or both, Ochi couldn't really tell. But one thing was for sure, the taller boy was clearly not happy about something. Ochi raised an eyebrow as Akira slammed the drawer, after roughly stacking his undergarments inside it, loudly. He watched as Akira stalked like a caged animal towards his closet and began to hang up his suits as if he were in a private battle with the hangers. The handsome face was in a scowl and those green eyes seemed to flash with an inner danger that sent a chill down the bespectacled boy's spine.

Ochi dared not ask what the problem was. He wasn't that close to Akira, never had been and never would be. Besides their love for Go, there was really nothing else they had in common.

_Well, he just came out from Shindo and Waya's room…maybe Waya annoyed him again._

But somehow, Ochi doubted that thought. Waya was constantly getting on Touya's nerves and the reserved boy rarely showed any emotion or pretended not to care for the redhead's antics. So, what could have happened to make the normally calm boy this flustered and upset?

The loud slam from the bathroom door closing caused Ochi to jerk alert in surprise.

And with a low grumble, he muttered softly to himself. "Geez…I wonder what climbed up his behind."

Akira placed his toiletries as neatly as possible in the cream-colored bathroom cabinet, for his hands were shaking badly and the tendency to drop them into the pristine sink below was inevitable. Finally placing the hair shampoo bottle in the neat row he had formed, he closed the cabinet and leaned his head against it. His hands gripped the edge of the sink tightly and a low frustrated growl escaped his lips as he squeezed his eyes shut to block out the indelible image of Waya _kissing _Hikaru.

"Kuso!" he cursed softly as he felt the pain slice through his chest, causing him to place a trembling hand against it. "Damn them both!"

He sank to the floor and raised his knees, wrapping his arms around his legs to quickly

bury his face within them. But the image stubbornly refused to go away. He could still see every motion as if forced to rewind a tape over and over again.

"No wonder he wanted to room with Hikaru," he whispered softly. "How can they stand a guy like me anyway?"

And how in Kami's name had he allowed his two nemesis to get under his skin so much? His daily obsession, from the moment he had played Hikaru so many years ago, had blossomed into an emotion that Touya refused to acknowledge. He had told himself many times that he could care less about Hikaru's feelings, any more so than the redhead who seemed to have a knack for insulting him at will. But then again…it was only Hikaru and Waya that had the tendency to bring out the more passionate side of him. He rarely showed any emotion, due to years of training himself to become the best at a game he loved to death. He had never had any real friends -- at least those close to his age -- until he had met Hikaru and the Insei at the Go Institute.

And it wasn't as if he had made himself accessible to others, either. It was no fault of his really. Akira wasn't sure he could handle himself around his own age mates. He could easily converse with others older than he, but when it came to normal teenage conversations…he was hopelessly lacking in that area. So rather than join them, he kept away, inwardly afraid that he would make a fool out of himself, especially before Shindo and Waya.

He was jealous. Plain and simply put. Jealous of the way Hikaru could make friends easily. Jealous of the way he and Waya could joke and laugh like they had been friends for a lifetime. Jealous of the obvious attraction the two boys had for one another. Jealous that he couldn't have been the one sleeping next to Hikaru. Kami, it had taken all of his strength not to strangle Waya in the plane last night. And then to top it all…

"Why me…" he groaned miserably.

"Hey, Touya! Could you get out of the bathroom? I have to use it!"

Akira raised his head quickly as he heard the familiar yet irritated voice behind the door. Scrambling to his feet, he eyed himself quickly in the mirror, hoping that he didn't look as morose as he felt inside. Satisfied at gaining some semblance of control, he opened the door that was adjoined to Hikaru and Waya's room, and came face-to-face with the boy that had filled his thoughts earlier.

Hikaru was no longer in his suit. In fact, the bleached blond was… topless. He was now dressed in only the dark pants of his suit, which was halfway unzipped and nearly falling off his lean hips. Shindo was also bare feet, having taken off his socks as well.

Akira found himself gawking helplessly at the sight. He had never seen Shindo topless let alone standing before him in this state. Feeling a reluctant heat flare through his body, he tightened his grip on the doorknob and was quick to place another scowl on his face. He tried hard not to stare into those green eyes and full lips that Waya had had a chance to take advantage of. With a curt nod, Akira spun around and began to make his way back to his bedroom without saying a word.

The blond stood watching as Touya left, his own face burning now as the thought of he almost reaching out to touch Akira, ran through his mind. As the door closed behind his rival, Shindo sighed and shuffled his way towards the toilet to do his business.

_Still can't stand me, I see. What the hell do I have to do to make you like me, Touya?_

He washed his hands quickly, automatically reaching for the cabinet to see if there was anything he could use. Seeing the neatly arranged toiletries caused a small smile to come to his visage. Touya had some really expensive stuff in his collection and being naturally curious, Hikaru reached for an after-shave lotion and opened it up. The scent was distinctly Touya and Hikaru felt like he could probably drown in that unique smell.

_Uuuum…what are you doing, Hikaru?_ Sai asked innocently, only to wince at Hikaru's loud squeal.

_AAAAH! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN THE BATHROOM?_

_But Hikaru…_

_How many times have I told you never to follow me into the bathroom! I need some privacy for Chrissakes!_

Sai looked contrite and twiddled his thumbs together. _I am sorry, Hikaru, but…your friend Waya was beginning to give off some negative…uh...vibes, as you call it…and I couldn't stand it any longer. You…you wouldn't want to play a game with me now, would you?_ He asked hopefully.

_Like hell! You come into the bathroom and try to invade my space and then you ask me to play a game with you? Go play by yourself!_

_But Hikaruuuuuuuuu…._

Shindo covered his ears as the familiar whine began. Sai was a nice and kind spirit, but he could be such a crybaby at times. The blond spun away from the now sobbing ghost, to place Touya's after-shave back in its place. A sudden loud knock on the door caused him to blink in confusion, before Ogata's voice was heard.

"Is everything all right in there, Shindo?"

"Uh…yeah! Everything's fine!"

"Are you sure? We heard you screaming a few moments ago…"

Waya spoke up with a light snicker. "Probably because he hasn't seen a Jacuzzi before and he freaked out!"

Hikaru noticed the large tub in the corner of the bathroom and made a face. "You wish, Waya! You're the one who's scared of taking showers!"

"Why you little! Come out here and let me show you just how scared I am!"

Ogata interrupted impatiently. "Well, hurry up. We all have to go down for dinner in thirty minutes."

"Yes, sir," Hikaru replied weakly as he groaned and sat on the edge of the bathtub. He cocked his head to the side and eyed the weeping spirit.

_Could you please cut that out, Sai?_

_But…_ sniff _You…won't play with me…_ sniff

Shindo counted slowly to ten before replying in resignation. "Fine…when I practice with Waya, then you can play."

_Yaaaay!_

_Sai…Sai! I can't breathe! You are hugging me too tight!_

The spirit released him quickly and he began to dance around the large bathroom in joy.

_I am so sorry, Hikaru, but this is all terribly exciting!_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just don't get too excited and make Waya want to kill me again for making him lose so early, got it?_

Sai nodded fervently and for a few minutes, both boy and spirit stared at each other….until Shindo remarked dryly.

_Are you planning to watch me use the bathroom, Sai? _

_Oops! Sorry! I am going now!_

And as Sai made himself scare, Shindo idly wondered what the spirit had meant about Waya having negative vibes.

"Damn this stupid suit!" Waya grumbled as he tugged restlessly at the constricting black tie. "Why do we have to keep wearing suits all the time?"

"Because it's a black tie event and we are going to be dining with other professional Go players like yourselves, so please try and carry yourself in a dignified manner," Ogata replied calmly as they stepped out of the elevator that led them to the main floor.

Hikaru snickered and nudged Waya playfully. "Hear that, Waya-kun? Stop acting like an idiot for once!"

Waya gave a mock growl and tried to attack Hikaru, only to stop as he noticed the cool look that Akira threw his way. He blushed lightly as he remembered the incident earlier and with a reluctant sigh, he pulled away from Shindo, sticking his hands into the pockets of his dark slacks and turning his face away.

In a flat tone, he said smoothly, "Let's just go."

Hikaru blinked in surprise. He had fully expected Waya to tease him mercilessly, or ruffle his hair or give him another headlock. What was with the cold shoulder all of a sudden?

_Maybe the negative vibe thing you were talking about Sai? Sai?_

The spirit was already gaping in awe at the large ballroom/dining room they had now been ushered into. It was elaborately decorated with gold and black streamers and balloons. A large banner with the words '_Welcome to the Annual Igo Competition'_ hung above a large podium, where several distinguished members of the Go World sat, all dressed in evening attire. On the main floor, rows of circular dinning tables had been set, with each country that would be participating in the event, assigned to one. The tables looked quite elaborate, with its beautiful floral decorations and the silverware that seemed fit for royalty.

The Japanese contingents were ushered to their table, which wasn't too far from the podium. Hikaru tried very hard not to bump into anything, for the wine glasses and plates looked pretty expensive. He almost laughed at the way Waya seemed to look out of place and as both boys exchanged wary glances, they finally broke down into giggles, only managing to stifle them as Ogata gave them another warning look.

Akira and Ochi, on the other hand, looked as if they fitted right in.

A round of applause was begun as the chairperson of the event walked up to the podium to begin his speech. Hikaru yawned and was just about to place his head on the table, when Sai reprimanded him sharply.

_Where are your manners, Hikaru? You are about to fall asleep at the most important part!_

_Geez! No need to yell, Sai! I am tired. My body hasn't adjusted to the new time zone and all. Gimme a break, will ya?_

The spirit pouted and turned back to face the man, who had introduced himself as Kashimoto-san, a Japanese-American. He was a 9-dan and quite popular in the Go World. Hikaru couldn't understand a single word…well, except for a few phrases here and there, but he figured that they were probably talking about the upcoming event. His eyes roamed the room lazily and their gaze soon fell on a familiar group. With a small smile, he waved at the American group, nudging Waya (who was half-way asleep himself) to take notice. The redhead started and blinked in confusion, before turning to see what the fuss was about.

Matt was mouthing off something and gesturing with his hands and for a moment, the two Japanese players couldn't make out what he was trying to tell them. They had to be quiet, since the entire room was focused on the speaker and they did not want to alert Ogata in any way.

"Hmmm…do you think he wants us to meet him somewhere?" Waya asked in a harsh whisper, his brows furrowed in a puzzled frown. "He keeps pointing to himself and then to us….and then outside."

"I guess that's what he means," Hikaru reasoned, having to lower his voice as well. He pointed to himself and then at Waya and then towards the exit with a questioning look on his features and as Matt nodded fervently, Hikaru grinned. "Yeah…he wants us to meet him outside."

"But how do we ditch the others?" Waya asked, nodding lightly towards Ogata, Ochi and Akira. "If we both leave at the same time, they will know that something is up for sure."

Shindo bit his lower lip in thought as his peripheral vision caught Matt and Chris already leaving the room at the same time. Nobody stopped them, not even their coach and Hikaru exchanged a bewildered glance with Waya.

"What the hell are we waiting for? Let's follow them!"

Waya placed a hand on Shindo's arm to still his movements. He shook his head and cleared his throat. Leaning closer to Ogata-sensei, he placed a look of pained suffering on his features.

"May I go back to the hotel room, sensei? I have to take this stomach medicine before eating and I forgot to do that. If I don't take it, I might end up throwing up my meal…"

Ogata waved his hand in dismissal, his eyes still firmly clued to the speaker. "Do what you have to do, Waya."

The redhead couldn't believe it was this easy. "May Shindo-kun come with me, too? I need the comp…"

"Just go, Waya," Ogata hissed in irritation. "Just make sure you get back here."

"Hai!" He nodded with a pleased grin, before tugging on Shindo's arm. He could feel Touya's gaze on him and fighting the urge to blush, he spun around quickly and led them both out of the ballroom and towards the lobby, where Matt and Chris could be seen waiting for them. There was also a boy that looked Japanese, standing next to Chris. Matt was quick to rush forward to greet his friends.

"Ohayo! Couldn't stand to be in that boring room listening to those guys yapping away. And besides, the coach will tell you everything in the morning, so you guys don't have to worry about missing much."

_Hikaruuuuuuuu! We shouldn't be here! I want to go back inside! Now! Now! _

_JUST SHUT UP, SAI!_

_gasp_ Which was soon followed by a sullen pout.

Matt was still speaking. "Oh yeah, least I forget, since you guys probably can't hear a damn word I'm saying…Tadaaa! This is Kim." He pulled the quiet boy closer to the group with a wide grin. "He is in my high school and he will be our official translator. Go ahead, Kim. Tell them that we are going to show them a good time tonight, okay?"

Kim snickered and bowed lightly. He introduced himself to Hikaru and Waya and repeated everything that Matt had said. This news got both Go players excited and Hikaru nodded fervently.

"Cool! I've always wanted to see the sights of New York City! So where do we go first?"

Matt pursed his lips for a moment. "Uuh…what about Touya? And Ochi? Aren't they coming?" He craned his neck to see if the elusive players would be heading out as well.

Waya and Hikaru exchanged another quick glance, before the redhead said quickly. "They didn't feel like coming. They said maybe some other time, right, Shindo?"

Shindo nodded in agreement. "Yeah…that's what they said. Come on, already! We're going to miss all the fun!!"

Matt laughed loudly as he placed an arm around each boy's shoulders and motioned for Kim and Chris to follow.

"Don't worry, boys!" he announced with an air of self-confidence, as he led them towards the waiting limousine parked in front of the hotel. "I promise to make this a night you will never soon forget!"


	5. Boys night out

**Part Four:**

Touya chewed on his salad without really tasting anything. He glanced, for the umpteenth time, at the two empty seats and then at the exit, which kept looking tempting with each passing minute. Ogata-sensei was currently locked in conversation with Kashimoto-san. It seemed like they had been best friends in high school or something of the sort.. Giving a small sigh, he pushed around the vegetables on his plate. He knew that Waya and Shindo hadn't gone to the hotel room. He had noticed Matt try to get their attention earlier and there was no doubt in his mind that the four boys had left to find something worthwhile to do.

"I wonder where Waya and Shindo are," Ochi asked quietly, as he sipped his glass of water. "It's been thirty minutes now and still no sign of them. We are going into the main course, Ogata-sensei is sure to notice soon."

Akira frowned and shrugged lightly. "It doesn't matter to me where they are." But even as he said this, his fingers tightened around the fork he was eating with.

Ochi didn't notice, instead his glance went towards the Americans' table, where the red-faced coach could be seen ranting and raving about something. The dining room was now noisy, as everyone had begun to eat and relax. Soft music played in the background and some couples had even begun to dance to the tune.

"I hope we don't get to play the United States," Ochi said dryly. "I would hate to have the coach standing next to me and yelling in my face every time."

When no reply was forthcoming from his companion, he turned to face Akira, only to raise an eyebrow as he was faced with an empty seat. He turned his head quickly to see where the other boy must have gone to, but scanning his eyes around the room, Touya seemed to have disappeared from sight.

Waya stuffed down the greasy burger with a wide grin as he gave the thumbs up to Chris, who was also chewing away at a large basket of waffle-fries in front of him.

A few feet away, Hikaru and Matt could be seen dueling in the latest video game, and you didn't need a translator to see that Hikaru was winning (the game was currently at a two-two tie) and that Matt was obviously not very happy at the way things were going. The two boys shouted and cursed at will, urging their fighters to give it their all, while the arcade owner winced and resisted the urge to pick up his phone to call the cops.

The huge game room was eerily devoid of other customers, which was due to the fact that Matt had somehow paid the owner an undisclosed amount of money to have the place to themselves for the night. It had practically every game imaginable and with its bright neon lights and catchy dance music in the background, it was enough to make any teenager's wildest dream a reality.

Kim, dutifully, sat between Chris and the redhead, eating his own meal slowly. He was happy to be a part of this group, especially now that Waya and Shindo had become friends with them. Chris belched loudly and nodded towards the 4-Dan. "Hey! Wanna play a game with me?"

Waya smirked and nodded, after Kim had translated of course. "Sure thing! Let's do….Zelda!"

Chris laughed and got to his feet. "Alright, big boy! Let's go!"

Touya smiled shyly at the lady behind the front desk in the front lobby, wondering why he was even bothering to do this in the first place. It wasn't as if he cared…right?

"And how may I help you this evening, young man?" she asked calmly, although a light blush could be seen on her cheeks.

Touya had to speak slowly, so he could be understood. "I am looking for my teammates. They came out here and I am sure they must have left with some American boys. Could you please tell me…or give me some information on where they might have gone?"

"I'm sorry. We usually do not give out information about our guests to others…"

Akira leaned closer, unaware of the desperate look in his eyes now. "But these are my teammates and if anything happened to them…" He shook his head quickly, trying to clear his muddled thoughts. "I am the team captain, and I need to make sure that they are in good and safe hands. Isn't there anyway that I could just find out where they could have gone?"

The woman looked contrite and understanding. "Honey…this is a large city. They could have gone to a million places. We don't monitor where our guests go to."

"There has to be someplace! Somewhere…a popular place for teenagers to hang out…please!"

"I really don't know how to help you with that…"

"What seems to be the problem here?"

Both stopped their conversation as the deep voice interrupted them. Akira glanced at the tall boy with wild-looking black hair, who looked no older than he. He could see that the newcomer was also an American.

The woman replied quickly. "He is looking for his teammates. It seems like they left with some boys from the American team. I really don't know how to help him with that."

The boy smiled and held out his hand in reassurance. "It's okay, Amy. I can take care of him from here. You are Akira Touya, right? I recognized your face. The name's Mark Jansen. I help my father run his Go school here in New York," he said with a grin. "Come on, maybe I can help you."

Touya gave a small sigh of relief and bowed before the woman, thanking her for her help. Following Mark, obediently, they made their way out to the main lobby, where the wild-haired boy reached for a cigarette in his pockets and lit it up quickly.

"I am guessing that Matt and Chris decided to show your friends a good time tonight," he said dryly. "They did the same thing last year."

Akira's eyes widened at the revelation. Was this some sort of ploy by the Americans to get them off track?

Mark noticed the look and snickered. "I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. You guys could easily defeat us, but I am not saying that it isn't beyond Matt to try to do anything to win…even if it means getting your teammates…_soft."_

Akira shook his head slowly. "Waya and Hikaru are not _soft_."

"Perhaps so, but you can't deny that this is some neat way of getting the other guys on your side, right? 'Become friends with the rival' and bullshit like that." He puffed out a cloud of smoke and ran his fingers, wearily, through his hair. "Anyhoo…if my guess is correct, I think that Matt must have taken them to the new arcade down on 45th. It's a pretty cool place. Not too high profile, but it's got tons of games and good food. Wanna go take a look?"

Akira, already impatient, nodded quickly. "Hai. We should go now."

Mark smirked and motioned for a car to pick them up. "You are one fine captain, looking out for your teammates like this."

Touya grit his teeth, but kept his gaze firmly before him.

_If you only knew…_

"KISAMA! HOW COULD I LOSE TO HIM IN ZELDA?"

"Now, now, Waya-kun. It's just a game." Kim tried to reassure the distraught redhead, who was currently banging his head upon the table in rapid succession.

"He won me three times in a row! Three times! Even I don't lose Go games three times in a row!"

Kim laughed shakily. "Ha…ha…I don't think you should be comparing Go to a video game…."

Chris grinned from his position beside the game machine and beckoned the seething redhead with a finger. "Come on, Waya! I know you want revenge…so come and get it!"

"Oh, you are so finished!" And with a determined look on his handsome features, Waya stomped off to seal the deal.

Hikaru, meanwhile, patted his stomach and grinned. "It's not ramen, but it will do just fine!"

Matt chuckled and collapsed next to him on the seat, eyeing Waya and Chris who had just begun another round. He placed an arm behind the seat, which caused Hikaru to eye the motion with uncertainty, but being the gracious guest, he didn't say anything but instead, reached for his bottle of Coke, downing it in one gulp.

"Is your friend always this feisty?" Matt asked with a small smile. "He is hot...just like Touya."

Hikaru, who had just been ready to stuff his mouth with some fries, began to choke as the food went down the wrong way. He tried to reach for Matt's drink to wash it down, only to find that his worried-looking companion was now pounding his back.

"You okay, Shindo? You probably ate that too fast."

Hikaru nodded and held up his hands signifying that he was fine. He drank the cold liquid, grateful for the cup being able to hide the dull blush that had risen to his cheeks. Matt hadn't actually said that, had he? It was all just a figment of his imagination.

Or not…

"Chris and I have been dating for some time now. But if anyone knew…hooo boy! Would we be in trouble or what? The coach has this thing about gay guys in his team, but we are the best Go players in our division in the country, so he can't say a damn thing about it."

Kim, who had the misfortune of translating was now as red as a tomato and Hikaru could understand his position. This was not the kind of conversation you had on an everyday basis with anyone. But it seemed like Matt didn't really care. He continued to speak as if he were just discussing another game.

"It's kinda hard being this way in this country…well, from where I come from, but over here in New York… it's like an everyday way of life, you know? You get weird looks every now and then, especially when you try to give him a kiss in public, but I think we have gotten over it. I mean, hell! It's a free country and I can do whatever the hell I want. If I choose to fall in love with a guy, then who has the right to complain?!"

Hikaru could only nod numbly, as his gaze reluctantly flew to Waya.

_Who is anyone to complain about who I choose to fall in love with…_

_Love is a strange thing, Hikaru._

He sighed softly. _You don't need to tell me that, Sai… _

As if realizing that he was being watched, Waya spun his head around to lock gazes with Shindo. He gave his teammate a thumbs up sign and a warm smile, which in turn sent Hikaru's face burning. Shindo lowered his gaze and stared at the patterns on the table with feigned interest, only to blush harder as Matt's taunting voice was heard.

"Ah ha! So you have a thing for Waya, right?"

"No! No! I don't! Shut up!" He slapped a hand across Matt's mouth, hoping that the damage hadn't been done. But Matt was not about to go down that easily, he struggled and pulled away the hand, only to yell even louder.

"HEY, WAYA! I THINK SHINDO HAS THE HOTS FOR…Mmmmpphfff!"

Kim wasn't even sure he wanted to translate any more, but Waya and Chris had stopped their game to gape at the two struggling couple on the seat. Waya raised an eyebrow and scratched his head.

"Uh…what's going on, Shindo?"

The blond shook his head rapidly. "Nothing! Honest! Whatever Matt said is not true!"

Chris turned to face Kim. "What did Matt say?"

"That Shindo probably had the hots for Waya."

"Ooooooo….I seeeeeeeee…" Chris smirked and ruffled the redhead's locks playfully. "Good luck to you, buddy. You've got yourself a good man there."

Waya scowled and reached for Chris, his intention to get him into a headlock. "Don't you dare touch my hair! It took me hours to get it mussed up this right!"

Kim gave a sigh of exasperation as he watched the two couples argue between each other…which was funny, since no one could really understand what the other was saying. He could see the arcade owner reaching for his phone. It looked like they were about to be thrown out. He opened his mouth to tell the others about this, when two people walked into the large game room. Kim felt the air rush out of his lungs as the tall Japanese boy spun around to pin intense green eyes on him.

"Touya…"

"Ah! Kim, there you are! Was wondering where you've been hiding lately."

"Mar…Mar…Mark?"

"In the flesh!" Mark grinned and patted Kim's head lightly, before raising an eyebrow as he noticed the squabbling boys in the corner. "Geez…and they didn't even get to the alcohol part yet."

Akira, on the other hand, watched the scene with his hands clenching into tight fists. Not only were Hikaru and Waya acting like overgrown children, they had actually allowed themselves to be used in such a manner and that infuriated the captain to no end.

"Shindo! Waya!" He barked out coldly. "It's time for us to go…now!"

The fighting stopped and four flustered boys blinked at the stoic figure as if in a trance for several minutes. Matt was quick to recover as he saw Mark leaning against a game machine. He released Shindo and tried to straighten out his ruffled suit, aware of the look of disdain that was thrown his way from Touya.

"Looks like your boyfriend is here," he said teasingly to Shindo, as he brushed his fingers through his hair. "Mark…what evil wind blew you over here, eh?"

The boy shrugged. "Nothing. Just thought I would be doing the world a favor this time around. Come on, guys. Pack up your stuff and let's go. You've got a game on Monday and practice first thing in the morning."

Chris reluctantly released Waya, but not before doing something that sent the entire room gasping in shock. He leaned closer to the redhead and kissed him softly on the lips, and caressing the smooth cheek gently, he whispered, "See you around, handsome." With a wink and a light chuckle, he pulled away and reached for his jacket. "You too, Shindo. It was fun…we should do it again sometime."

Matt nodded and taking Chris's cue, spun around quickly to claim Shindo's parted lips in a swift but hard kiss. Dancing away from the stunned look on the blond's face, Matt picked up his own jacket and waved to the silent group. "See you guys on Monday! Come on, Kim, let's jet!"

Mark sighed heavily as the three boys left and pushing himself away from the machine, he walked up to Touya. He placed a hand on a stiff shoulder and said quietly. "I will take the limo with the boys. You can use the other one we came with to get back to the hotel." He squeezed it gently and turned to go, only to stop again. "And I really wouldn't worry too much about it. Matt and Chris just like to play like that with everyone. I mean, they even go as far as saying they are a gay couple, just to get chicks to dig them." When Touya gave no sign of having heard him, he shrugged and began to walk away. "Just don't do anything that will disrupt your team, Touya. Take care!"

The door closed softly behind him and the three boys were left in relative silence. Waya was still standing with his mouth slightly parted, wondering what in the world had just happened, while Shindo had his gaze lowered to the floor, with a finger lightly caressing his lips in disbelief. He had never kissed a guy before and the sensation was quite…different. For a moment, he wondered how Touya or Waya would taste, but that thought was quickly erased as Akira's strained voice filled the silence.

"We have to go back to the hotel."

Shindo and Waya didn't even bother protesting. They helped the arcade owner clean up the mess they had created and making sure that he was paid well, Touya led them into the waiting limousine.

As the vehicle began to move, the silence and tension in the car grew. Each boy sat as far away from each other as possible, averting their gazes from one another. Waya seemed fascinated with the range of beverages at their disposal, Shindo stared morosely out of the window, while Touya seemed lost in his own thoughts.

_And I didn't even get to see the Yankee stadium as promised,_ Shindo thought with a sigh. _Anything but to think of that…that…damn that Chris!_

Sai refused to answer, for his gaze was locked on Touya, who at this point, looked lonely and sad. He moved closer to the boy and sat beside him, wishing for a chance to be able to speak to Akira, but knowing only too well, that it would never be.

_I am cursed to remain silent and to watch you suffer, Touya-kun. Only I know of the heartbreak you are going through. But I swear, I will make Shindo and Waya see you for whom you really are inside. Love can be a painful and gut-wrenching thing… _

Finally, Waya croaked out weakly. "Does Ogata-sensei know?"

Touya's features regained their usual scowl as he shook his head. "No one knows I came after you."

"So, who was the guy with you?" Waya asked, blinking in confusion.

"Just a guy I met in the lobby. He knew what Matt and Chris were up to…"

This time, Shindo spoke up. "And just what were _they_ up to? They just wanted us to have a good time, that's all."

Touya snorted and turned his face away. "Are you so blind? Can't you see that they are trying to get you off balance for the competition on Monday?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Waya shouted in exasperation. "Nobody wanted you there! They are just nice guys who wanted to have _fun_! You should try that sometime, Touya!"

An audible gasp from Akira, caused Waya to slap a hand over his mouth and to kick himself inwardly for going that far. Shindo's eyes were unforgiving, even as he felt something tighten in his chest at the words that Waya had hurled out.

Touya clenched his hands and stubbornly refused to tear his gaze from the window. And in a voice that was as cold as ice, he replied calmly.

"I will remind myself to do that, Waya. Until then…I prefer to keep this incident away from Ogata-sensei. We could just pretend that we all went out to explore the city together. As long as you are on my team, and I am the captain, I expect you to be on your toes. We will begin practicing tomorrow…as soon as we wake up."

Waya and Shindo cursed beneath their breaths, only to freeze at the next words from Touya's mouth.

"Oh, least I forget…Mark told me that the schedules have already been handed out to the coaches." He turned to pin cold green eyes on them.

"Our first match is against the United States."


	6. Midnight sessions

**Part Five:**

Long shadows cast their gloom over the furniture as the sun began its descent towards the horizon. A soft breeze sent the lacy curtains fluttering quietly, giving one a sense of peace and serenity, which was only broken by the sounds of glass against wood.

"Kuso!" Hissed Ochi as he clenched his hands tightly on his lap. How could he be losing again? And from the distracted look on his opponent's face, he could tell that the boy wasn't really playing at his best. That thought alone was enough to aggravate the young player even further.

"I…I resign," he finally muttered as he bowed his head lightly. When no reply was forthcoming, Ochi raised his head to announce his loss again, only to notice his opponent's gaze on the other two boys sitting beside them.

_Is he so concerned with Shindo and Waya that he has forgotten about me? Damn him!_

"I said…I _resign!_"

Akira started and blushed lightly, before bowing quickly as he noticed the other boys blink at them in confusion. "Ah…th...thank you very much. Would you like to discuss…?"

Ochi shook his head with a frown. "I don't think we should. It's clear that your mind was not on this match at all. It's rather sickening to think that I lost to you when you were not concentrating. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to use the bathroom."

As the door closed behind Ochi, Waya snickered and placed another stone on the goban. "I think he is off to bang his head against the bathroom cabinet again. Geez, that kid is a bit too uptight, don't you think, Shindo?"

The bleached blond did not answer, for his gaze was firmly fixed on the stones before him.

_If I continue like this…I will lose for sure. I need to focus on the task at hand and Waya isn't exactly helping my cause by yapping so much._

Reaching for his black stone, he placed it on the board, his mind already racing towards Waya's next move and what he could do to counter it. Waya's brows knitted into a light frown and he folded his arms across his chest in deep thought. He could have sworn that he had been winning, but with Shindo's new move…things didn't look so easy after all.

Akira quietly packed up the stones and goban away. Since the 'incident' in the limo last night, it had seemed like an even greater rift had risen between the three of them. He almost dropped the small pot in his agitation, his eyes misting over with pain for a moment, before he took a deep breath to calm down. He kept telling himself that he had done it for the best. He could live with their dislike for him…after all he had been doing so for almost five years now.

He sat quietly and watched the game from his position. Ogata had made them practice from the moment they had woken up that morning. They had each studied several kifu from past matches and had recreated them on their own and then they had been paired up with one another, having to play consecutive games in a row. He would have loved to play with Waya or Shindo, but neither boy had finished their second game, while he and Ochi had gone through three rounds already. Akira glanced, with longing, at his teammates, wishing and hoping that they would at least say something to him, even if it were a reprimand.

_Anything but your animosity…_

A light knock on the door interrupted them and Ogata-sensei walked into the room with a large yellow envelope in his hand. He eyed the game currently being played and raised an eyebrow in Akira's direction.

"Ochi went to the bathroom," he replied quietly. "They are still playing their second game."

Ogata nodded and sat down on a chair opposite Shindo. For several minutes, he watched them quietly, before interrupting with a light cough. "I hate to break your game up, but there are several things that we have to go through concerning your first match tomorrow."

Ochi walked out from the bathroom and joined the others on the floor as they listened attentively to the older man's words.

Ogata opened the envelope and pulled out several sheets of paper. He gave each boy a few of them as he began to speak again. "These are kifu from the boys you will be playing against tomorrow morning. Matt Williamson, captain of the team…your opponent Akira." He did not fail to notice the icy look that had come into Touya's eyes and, inwardly, he felt smug. Little did he know the real reason for it. "The second belongs to Chris Smith…your opponent, Shindo." Shindo nodded mutely, as he tried hard to stop the flood of color that came to his cheeks at the memory of the stolen kiss. "Third opponent could be either James Campbell or Mike Schneider…they are yet to decide. And since we have both morning and afternoon matches…"

"Who is our afternoon opponent?" Ochi asked quietly.

"Germany. My plan was for Waya to play against the United States and then you against Germany in the afternoon, that is unless Touya or Hikaru wish to back out…" He stopped and eyed the two boys in question.

Shindo shook his head, glancing at Touya to see his reaction. As predicted, Akira was not willing to back down either and with this decision, Ogata nodded curtly. "Fine. It is settled then. Touya, Shindo and Waya, morning match. Ochi, you get the afternoon. I expect you all to get a good night's rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

And giving them a wan smile, he left the boys to their own devices as each began to study the papers in their hands thoughtfully.

Hikaru rubbed his eyes wearily as he shuffled to the bed, now clad in his pajamas. Waya had fallen asleep amidst the kifu spread on his bed and arranging them neatly, Shindo placed them on the small bedside table. He eyed the goban that still had their unfinished game on it and deciding to finish it up, he motioned for Sai to join him.

_You really should be getting some rest, Hikaru. Remember that you have to wake up early._

_I know, Sai. But I just need to finish this one thing up and I will go to bed, I promise._

The spirit didn't look too happy, but he knew arguing with the blond was going to be a waste of time. _As you wish, Hikaru…._

_And don't try beating me too fast, either,_ came the knowing warning. _If you do that, then I won't let you play for a loooong time._

Sai blushed faintly and nodded. I promise. _17-3 komoku… _

An hour later….

_You really should concede defeat now, Hikaru. There are no more moves for you to make._

Shindo was rather irritated at this point. Damn Sai for being this good! He rose to his feet and stretched. "I need to go get me some water to drink."

He hummed softly to himself as he walked towards the kitchen. Fixing a cold cup of milk instead, he tried to focus his mind on the games tomorrow, but somehow he knew that it would be extremely difficult to do. He had deliberately tried hard to ignore Akira today. He still couldn't shake off the dull feeling of guilt at he and Waya's antics yesterday and with the way the redhead had insulted him in the limo -- it was a miracle that Akira hadn't killed them yet.

"Shindo."

The cup he had been ready to raise to his lips, dropped to the floor as he gasped in shock. Spinning around quickly, he found himself staring into Akira's emotionless but breathtaking visage. Shindo placed a hand upon his now rapid beating heart and tried to form some sort of coherent sentence.

"To…Tou…Touya! What the hell did you do that for? Stop sneaking around like a criminal or something!"

Something flickered behind the cool green eyes, before Akira lowered his gaze and began to walk towards the counter, which Shindo was still leaning against. For a moment, the blond found breathing becoming quite hard to do as he watched Touya lean closer to him.

_Oh, God…he is going to kiss me. Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God! What am I going to do?! Please don't do this…I…I…am not ready yet…but I don't want you to stop either!_

In his distress, he failed to notice the light blush on Akira's cheeks and completely on impulse, Shindo squeezed his eyes shut and pushed the other boy away sending Touya sprawling to the floor with a light sound of surprise.

Akira blinked from his position on the floor and tried hard to regain his dignity. Kami! Did Shindo dislike him that much? "What did you do that for?" he asked, surprised at how calm his voice sounded, even though his heart seemed to break into a million pieces.

Shindo opened his eyes and stared at his hands as if they had grown an extra head. The blush did not fade from his cheeks and he stuttered shakily. "I…I…You were…why did you have to come so _close_ to me?"

Akira scowled and held up the roll of paper napkin he had managed to hold on to. "I was trying to get this behind you, bakayaro! You spilled milk all over the floor, remember?"

Shindo blinked and stared at his feet, noticing for the first time the rather large mess that he had created. "Oh."

Akira snorted and got up to his hands and knees. "You should be careful next time, Shindo. Lucky the cup is unbreakable."

Shindo, not wanting to seem useless, (or perhaps having to do this since he was beginning to feel faint), fell to his knees and began to clean up as well. "It's not my fault. You came sneaking up behind me… as _usual_."

"I was not sneaking. If you had been paying attention, you would have noticed me!"

"Well, you could have tapped my shoulder or something!"

They were both whispering harshly now, since they didn't want to wake the others up. They stopped talking and glared at each other, stopping their wiping motions as the silent battle of wills continued. Finally, with a light snort and a light blush dusting his cheeks, Akira turned his gaze away and got to his feet, albeit shakily.

"I just came to get a glass of water," he said quietly, as he tossed the dirty rag into the trashcan and reached for a cup. "I am sorry for startling you, but I was a bit surprised to find you still awake."

Shindo rose to his feet as well and tossed his used rag away. He shuffled from one foot to another, idly wondering why his heart beat wasn't slowing down in the slightest. Maybe it was the intimate setting, for the kitchen was relatively dark. It was only the light from the lamp in the living room that gave it some illumination and in the shadows, Touya looked even more handsome and those brilliant green eyes seemed to flash even brighter.

He swallowed tightly and struggled to form a coherent sentence. "Uh…so…you couldn't sleep?"

Akira didn't give an answer for a moment, but he finally gave a small shrug. "I was just looking over my opponent's kifu again. I was going to go to sleep."

Shindo raised an eyebrow and snickered. "It's almost two o'clock in the morning, Touya. I bet you were nervous and you couldn't sleep, am I right?"

Akira's eyes widened before he scowled and tried to hide his embarrassment at having been caught. "That's a lie," he muttered while placing the cup in the sink. "I always try to get a good rest before any match. Why should this be any different?"

Shindo smiled. "Because it's our first match and we are playing in such a large arena. I even heard that it's going to be televised to over a billion people! Just think, Touya…everyone in the world will be watching our every move!" He clenched his hands into fists, eyes sparkling with excitement. "I get so excited just thinking about it! I worked hard to get here and hell will freeze over before I lose to anyone easily! I intend to bring the Cup back to Japan. You and me and Waya and Ochi…we are going to be unstoppable!"

Akira could only watch Shindo's animated movements with a pang of envy in his heart. He drank in every feature on the bleached blond's visage, his hands gripping the edge of the counter top as the overwhelming urge to grab the other boy in a fierce hug, consumed him. He couldn't help smiling softly at the last bit of Shindo's words and nodding, he replied quietly.

"Hai…we are going to be unstoppable…Shindo-kun."

Hikaru stopped long enough to slap a hand over his mouth as he realized that he had been talking too much. He blushed and found himself unable to stare into the dark-haired boy's face. There was an intense look in Akira's eyes that sent Hikaru's nerves even more jumpy than usual. He tried hard to control the shiver that coursed down his spine and with a low whimper, he stuttered weakly.

"I…I…sh…sh…should be going to bed n…now…" He spun around quickly and began to walk out of the kitchen, when Akira's desperate cry froze him in his tracks.

"Shindo!"

Hikaru glanced back with a puzzled look on his features. "Wha…what is it, Touya?"

Akira faltered and lowered his lashes, feeling his face heat up again. Why exactly had he called Hikaru? "Are…are…you nervous about the match tomorrow?" he finally asked softly, still not looking at the blond. He didn't want to be left alone just yet and he figured getting Shindo to talk with him a little longer wouldn't hurt.

Hikaru couldn't believe that Akira was actually trying to make a decent conversation and for a moment, he wasn't really sure on how to answer. "I…guess I am in a way," he replied quietly. "I know the Hokuta Cup competitions are intense…but this is kinda different in a way. I can't really explain it." He cocked his head to the side and eyed his longtime rival. "What about you, Touya? You can't tell me that you don't get nervous before a match especially one this big?"

Akira sighed softly and folded his arms across his chest. "Of course I get nervous. I am human after all."

Somehow that little sentence seemed to mean so much more and both boys fell silent as the tension began to grow thick again.

Hikaru stole an almost shy glance towards Touya and dared to ask. "Uuum…about what happened at the arcade earlier…"

Akira stiffened. "I said we should forget that, remember?"

"Yes, but…I just wanted you to know that…that what happened was purely on accident," Shindo finished in a rush. "You shouldn't go thinking that anything happened between Chris and I and…"

"How was it?"

"Huh??"

Akira lifted his gaze and pinned that familiar gaze filled with intensity on the now blushing blond. "Tell me, Shindo…how did it _feel_ to be kissed?"

Hikaru blinked, opening and shutting his mouth like a fish for several seconds unable to say anything. He finally squeaked out a weak 'Touya', only to gasp as Akira stepped even closer to him. With his heart racing a mile a minute, Shindo's gaze reluctantly flew to the lips before him.

_How did it feel, Touya? I…why…I guess, I will only have to show you…_

Taking a deep breath, he shut his eyes and closed the distance between them. He barely heard Akira's shocked gasp as he pressed his lips against the warm ones before him. With his heart now pounding so loudly, Hikaru raised his hands to place them lightly on Akira's shoulders, trying to deepen the kiss.

Akira remained frozen and he could only remain like a statue within Shindo's delicious assault.

_He's kissing me! Sweet, Kami-sama…he tastes like… _

He moaned softly as his lashes fluttered shut. He had never felt anything this…_sweet._ This wonderful. This amazing and he wanted this moment to never end. Daring to go even further, he parted his lips allowing Shindo's tongue to slip into his mouth. His legs almost buckled as he felt the warm length caress his and whimpering in need, his body flaring with an awakened desire, Akira clutched a fistful of Shindo's shirt, holding on to it to steady himself.

Shindo's mind reeled with sensation and Akira's willingness to continue only made him bolder. This seemed too surreal. At the back of his mind, he wondered if it wasn't just another dream. Then if so, he never wanted this dream to end any time soon.

He, reluctantly, pulled away gently, his eyes glazed with need as he leaned his forehead against Akira's. They were both panting harshly, their cheeks flushed with heat as they realized what they had both been doing.

"To…Touya…"

"Shindo-kun…"

"Shindo? Are you out here?"

_Waya?!_

Shindo withdrew from Akira's light embrace quickly, his face flaming as he noticed the redhead searching for him in the living room. Akira's face was burning as well, and he stepped away from the blond, already feeling cold at the loss of contact.

Waya frowned lightly and turned on the lights in the room. He gasped softly as he noticed the two boys in the kitchen, but quickly regained his composure. "Ah…so that's where you were, Shindo. I woke up and didn't see you in bed and I was pretty worried. What…what are you two doing in the kitchen at this time?" he asked with a puzzled look, although from the guilty looks on their faces, he could take a wild guess.

_They didn't…No! It can't be!_

"Shindo?" he called out softly. "Shindo…what happened?"

"We were just discussing some moves that could be played out tomorrow, ne, Shindo-kun?" Akira replied smoothly. He began to walk out of the kitchen and towards his bedroom, with a curt nod directed towards Waya. "I suggest you two go back to bed. The earlier we wake up, the better. Goodnight."

The bedroom door closed softly behind him and Waya was left gaping in disbelief. Clenching his hands into tight fists, he walked into the kitchen and fixed himself a cold drink.

Hikaru licked his swollen lips and called out weakly, "Wa…Waya…I…"

"Goodnight, Shindo," came the cold reply. "You heard what the _captain_ said." And not giving the blond another glance, Waya finished his drink and stalked back to their room, barely controlling the urge to slam the door shut.

Shindo stood miserably in the empty kitchen, feeling cold and yet warm. He caressed his lips…the lips that had finally tasted Touya Akira's for the first time. A moment that would forever be etched in his memory, but Waya had _known_…had probably seen what had happened and Shindo suddenly felt an intense guilt flow through him.

_Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!!_

And sinking to the floor, Shindo held his head in his hands and sobbed silently.


	7. The Challenge

**Part Six:**

"Ah…ohayo, Amano-san. I didn't think you were going to make it to New York in time."

The orange-haired Weekly Go reporter from Japan laughed heartily and bowed before the bespectacled man. "I didn't think I was going to make it either, Ogata-sensei," he remarked, as his sharp eyes began to roam across the large indoor arena that had been converted into an International Go game room.

Rows of tables and chairs lined up the sides and flags were placed on each, showing which country had the honor to be placed there. Brand new wooden gobans and stones were placed on each table and many 'oohed' and 'aahed' over the beauty of them. A large podium stood at the end of the room, where men and women of high prestige in the Go world could be seen getting ready to be seated. Behind them, large oversized goban boards lined the background as some members had begun to talk about possible strategies for each country.

In addition to the small flags on the tables, larger ones surrounded the walls, giving the room a colorful and yet simple touch. The air was electric and many young men, all dressed in their best, stood anxiously awaiting the first call for them to begin play.

"Hmmm…where are the boys?" Amano asked with a raised eyebrow. He noticed that several TV cameras were stationed around the room as well and that many international reporters as well as the local media had begun to file out from the adjoining conference room. "They finished their press conference earlier…shouldn't they be out here by now? I think I see the United States team now. You do know that your game will get a lot of attention, Ogata-sensei. After all, we are playing the host country in the very first game."

Ogata nodded curtly, barely listening to a word the other man was saying. His main concern was the tension he had felt between the three boys this morning and he wasn't really sure of what was going on. Neither had talked much to each other and Ogata was beginning to have concerns over how well their chemistry was supposed to work as teammates.

"Speak of the devil…oi! Akira-kun, Shindo, Waya, Ochi! How about a few words with me before the match begins, hmm?"

The four, rather sullen-looking, boys walked up to the familiar figure of the reporter, inwardly giving sighs of exasperation. They had already been through a grueling hour with reporters, having had to wake at about six in the morning.

Waya tried to stifle a yawn and for his efforts, got a stern frown from Ogata. Blushing lightly, he lowered his gaze and stuck his hands into his pockets. Shindo looked as if he wished he was anywhere but here and he was doing a fine job of staring at Japan's flag in acute fascination. Ochi had already begun to make his way towards the spectator's area.

It was only Touya that finally gave the older man an answer. "Ohayo, Amano-san. We were surprised to find you not in the press conference."

Amano nodded with a sheepish smile. "I got lost on my way here. It is quite hard to convey your thoughts in English to these taxi drivers. So…tell me, are you guys ready for the intense scrutiny? The whole world will be watching."

Touya smiled softly. "Hai. But these are just preliminaries. The top eight teams advance to the quarterfinals, ne? We just have to win three of our prelim matches and we are in the elimination rounds, ne?"

"Haha! Tough words coming from you, Touya. But believe it or not, you guys are considered the underdogs to Korea and China. Does that bother you?"

Akira frowned lightly as he noticed said Korean team coming into the room. "It's true that we are not considered the favorites, but that doesn't mean we are just going to lie down and let them take all the glory. We came here to win and that is just what we are going to do."

Amano nodded and turned to face the silent Shindo and Waya. "So do you guys agree with him? You think we can win the Cup this year?"

He blinked as he got no answers. Shindo made a small sound that must have meant 'yes', while Waya shrugged and began to walk towards their designated table. He was beginning to have a headache.

"Is…is everything all right?" Amano asked in bewilderment as he watched Shindo follow the redhead rather slowly. "You guys…at least those two, look like they have tummy aches. Was it something that you ate this morning?"

Akira bit his lower lip, trying hard to block out the memory and lingering feel of Hikaru's kiss from his mind. He wasn't sure of what had happened after he had left Shindo and Waya last night, but one thing was certain…both were no longer as jovial as they had been and Akira briefly wondered if Waya had figured out what had happened.

_Why should he get angry? After all, he has kissed Shindo as well._

"Touya-sensei?!"

"Huh?" He started from his daydream and blinked at Amano in confusion for a moment.

"I asked if you were not going to join them? They are about to begin."

"Oh…ah…thank you…"

"Good luck." Amano held out his hand. "And as the locals would say…knock them dead."

Akira smiled softly and accepted the offer, before walking towards their table.

Waya pulled out his seat and sat down heavily. He stared morosely at the empty chair across him, wondering who his opponent was. Chris would be seating before Hikaru, but that didn't ease the redhead's inner tension. He would not only have to play against the boys that had used them as toys, but he would have to seat right next to Shindo and that alone was pure torture.

He stiffened as he felt the chair beside him move and firmly keeping his gaze on the goban, he pretended not to notice Shindo seat beside him.

The silence and discomfort grew and Hikaru felt like screaming. _Keep your cool…keep your cool. We have a game to focus on now…no time for letting personal emotions come into play._

Sai looked on with growing worry. If each boy was this tensed up, how in the world were they supposed to play with confidence? They couldn't afford to lose the very first match. They were the heavy favorites here.

As Akira sat down to complete the picture, the American boys, flanked by their coach, came striding into the room. Cameras and flashbulbs went off as the home team made their way to the wary-looking Japanese boys.

Akira clenched his hands into fists on his lap as he watched Matt smile brightly and wave. "Hi, guys! Too bad we're your first opponents today. Give us a break and let us off easy, will ya?"

This got a round of laughter from the other two as they all sat down. Matt was just about to make another joke, when the words died on his lips as he noticed the cold and almost deadly look on his opponent's face. He swallowed tightly and laughed shakily. "Heheh…talk about intense, huh, Shin…do…"

The words died as well as he noticed that Hikaru wasn't smiling much either. Come to think of it, all three Japanese boys looked like they were ready to kill somebody and _anyone_ was suitable prey.

"Hey…what's with the look?" The American coach asked as he eyed Ogata. "That some technique you guys use to psych other players out?"

Ogata snorted lightly and turned to face the podium, since the speaker was seen getting ready to begin his speech. "I think it's what you Americans like to call _game face_."

"Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to the International Go Competitions!" Applause. "As you well know, this year is very special because we have over sixty countries participating, which is a new record. Go is becoming quite popular, ne?" This got a light round of laughter. "Not to waste too much of your time, but I will go through the rules again. There are five round robin matches that will be played over the next three days. Two matches per day and if it comes down to a fifth match, it will be played on the third day in the morning. The team with three wins automatically advances to the next round, where it then becomes elimination matches. Each team is given three hours, a minute per hand and a five and a half komi. Discussions for each game is allowed as long as everyone is completely finished and please try to respect the other players and keep your voices down. We will break off for lunch in the middle of the each game, so don't worry about feeding your stomachs."

And waiting for the applause and laughter to die down, the speaker grinned widely and announced in a much louder voice. "And now…without much further ado…let the games begin!"

A light bell went off and everyone bowed their heads, saying the customary 'Good luck' to each other. Not one to waste any time, Touya held out his hand. "I will nigiri," came the cold statement.

Matt didn't even bother arguing. He ended up having the black stones and having to go first. He could feel Touya's eyes sear through him and suddenly the suit he was wearing became too constricting. With hands trembling slightly, he placed a stone on the goban rather gingerly, only to shrink back in slight fear as the resounding 'PLINK' from Akira's white stone fell upon the goban mere seconds later.

_Damn it! Does he think this is speed go?! _

Chris and Mike were faring no better, for Shindo and Waya seemed to playing as if they were late for another appointment someplace else. They barely gave the Americans time to think as they were quick to place their stones on the board, much faster than the eye could see.

Matt growled and glared at Touya, trying hard not to cringe at the smug look on the other boy's face. "Damn you…" he muttered softly. "Fuck off!" And with a resounding slam of his own, he placed his stone on the board, getting angrier as Touya responded just as quickly. This went on for a while, as the growing audience watched on in fascination.

The American could feel his face burning with embarrassment. It wasn't even half an hour into the match yet and he was already losing…and _badly_ too. Touya had gone all out on him. There was absolutely nothing to counter the 6-Dan with, and the spectators watching could tell too. Low murmurs arose around them and Matt's face grew even more red. It was hopeless. Continuing was just going to further prove how stupid he was and at this very moment, he could safely say that he _hated_ Touya Akira.

He dropped the stone back in the pot and lowered his head, fighting back the tears of humiliation as he whispered thickly. "I…I…re...resign."

Akira bowed his head and replied lightly. "Thank you for the game." He carefully began to pack up the stones, and although he had beaten Matt handily, Akira was still unsatisfied. He wanted something more…he just wasn't sure what. He stole a quick glance to see how Hikaru and Waya were doing. As predicted, his teammates were making quick work of their opponents. Smiling softly, he rose to his feet and began to walk towards the German table. He would watch his afternoon opponent's play and then gauge his strength from there.

"I…resign."

"Thank you for the game," Shindo muttered flatly as he began to pack up his own stones. No one knew just how hard it had been for him to be in the middle of the two boys that made him feel so weak inside. His concentration had been lacking and if it wasn't for Sai's gentle encouragement, Shindo was sure he would have lost the match. He remained in his seat, as he waited for Waya to finish with his. He spied Akira standing in front of their afternoon opponent's table and Shindo knew that he ought to be doing the same thing. But, he needed to talk to Waya…alone. The redhead had been avoiding him and try as hard as he might, Shindo had been unable to get any kind of response from him.

A light tap on his shoulder jerked him alert from his reverie and he blinked at the dark-haired man who now leant closer to whisper against his ear. "If you will please follow us to the press room, we would like a few words with the winners."

Shindo sighed softly and obediently followed, noticing that Akira had been called as well and that Waya was also in tow. The interview didn't last too long and since they had finished their games relatively quickly, the boys had more time to do whatever they wanted until the afternoon match.

Shindo sighed softly. "I think I'll take a walk around the grounds. I will meet you guys back here in about an hour for lunch, okay?"

Akira nodded, fighting back the urge to ask if Shindo needed company. He glanced at Waya and felt his cheeks burn at the intense look that was directed at him. Coughing lightly, he bowed and stepped away. "I think I will go into the study room and try to look through the kifu for my opponent later on." And not waiting for their responses, he made his way towards the large library across the game hall.

Waya watched the two boys go their separate ways. He could spy Ochi still studying the German team and growling softly, the redhead finally made up his mind on whom to go after.

He pushed open the large glass doors that led into the large and nearly empty room. He was a bit surprised at how quiet it was. Perhaps everyone was so engaged in the games that they had forgotten about this place. There were rows of shelves with what seemed to be a million books. A small go area had been created and only two people currently sat on the available seats, quietly recreating a game that was being shown on a large flat screen TV on a wall.

Waya smiled softly at the woman behind the counter and eyed the room looking for that familiar shock of shoulder length black hair.

"Yatta. There you are." He walked slowly towards Touya, who was now sitting in a large chair at the back of the room, carefully hidden away from prying eyes. It was a safe haven for anyone wishing to study without being disturbed, but that was soon to change as Waya stood before Akira with a scowl on his features.

Touya blinked and lifted his gaze from the old Go magazine he had been studying. He tried to maintain his cool composure even as his heartbeat quickened. He licked his lips and asked in a slightly trembling voice. "Is…is there something you wanted, Waya?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Touya," Waya replied in a harsh whisper, not wanting to gather any attention. "I know what happened last night with Shindo."

A light blush filled Akira's cheeks and he struggled to maintain the little dignity he had left. "And so?"

Waya gasped softly and blushed as well, wondering why he was even bothering to continue, but he had to know the truth. "And so…why did you do it?! I thought you didn't like him!"

Akira forced his eyes back on the book although his hands had now begun to tremble slightly. "Wha…what makes you think that I don't li…like him?"

"Hello? You keep acting like he has a disease around you and you hardly ever talk to him and whenever he tries to make a joke, you don't even freaking laugh! You don't know Shindo the way I do! You could never like him the way I do, Touya! So why don't you just back off!"

"No."

Waya blinked. "What…did…you…say?"

Akira lifted his gaze again and this time, the green depths were filled with determination. "I said _no_, Waya. I do not intend to make the same mistakes I have made in the past. I will not give Shindo up to you so easily. You have had your fun with him, now it's my turn."

Waya cursed beneath his breath. "Damn it! Shindo is not a goddamn toy!"

"I am quite aware of that, Waya…chan," Touya added with a light smirk. His heart was pounding even more fiercely now as he realized what he was about to do. To the outsider, he looked calm and oozed with confidence. He could see that Waya was confused with the sudden transformation and for a moment, the redhead could only gape at the beautiful boy before him.

He growled and shook his head to gather his scattered wits. "It's Waya to you, Touya!"

Akira's smirk widened and he carefully stuck out his legs, sending Waya toppling into the other seat across him. In a move that left the redhead gasping in surprise, the dark-haired boy leaned over him, leaving mere inches between their lips.

_What am I doing?_ Akira thought wildly. _This feels so…strange…yet…I feel incredibly…powerful. I feel like I have them both at my mercy and I can do whatever I want._

Waya gave a helpless whimper as he felt the heat flood through his body at the close proximity. His pants tightened and he squeezed his eyes shut, fighting the burning gaze of Touya's eyes on him. "Stop it," he begged half-heartedly. "Kuso! What the hell do you think you are doing?"

Akira laughed softly, thankful for their hidden location. If anyone burst in and saw them like this…

"What's wrong, Waya? Isn't this what you did to Shindo the other day?"

The redhead's eyes flew open and he gaped at Akira in surprise, still hopelessly aware of how one false move could send their lips clashing together. "What…what are you talking about?"

"You kissing Shindo before me, of course," Touya retorted with a frown.

"Me…_kissing_…?" Waya was just about to deny it, when an idea came to his mind. He smirked and nodded. "Hai…and so what? Are you upset that I had a chance to taste him first?"

Akira growled and pressed himself closer to the taut body, eliciting another low and reluctant groan from Waya. "I will make him come to me first, Waya," he said softly, that dangerous glint in his eye now.

"Is that a challenge, Touya?" came the light taunt.

Akira nodded and dared to go ahead. He darted out a tongue and traced the curve of Waya's bottom lip, his lashes fluttering closed as he felt his body respond to the almost heady sensation. He pulled away and whispered huskily.

"Hai, Waya-kun. It is a challenge. And I _never_ lose a challenge."

With a smug look of satisfaction on his features, Akira got to his feet and straightened out his suit. He picked up his magazine and began to walk away, but not before glancing over his shoulder to mock lightly. "Go get some rest, Waya. I think you are going to need it a whole lot more than I will."

"Why you…!" Waya simply couldn't finish as he watched Akira walk away. He clamped his legs together and willed the ache to die away. Curse Touya! What in Kami's name had come over the usually meek and docile creature. He knew that Akira only became passionate when it came to an intense Go match, but this…this was _different_. This new side to the 6-Dan was both exciting and dangerous.

"Hn….so you want Shindo as well, ne?" His brows furrowed in a frown as his golden eyes took on a look of determination as well. "Well, it looks like we are going to have to fight this little battle all the way, Touya. And like you…I _never,_ _ever _back down from a challenge."


	8. A whole new rivalry

**Part Seven:**

Hikaru eyed the menu with a puzzled frown. He wasn't even sure what half of the food meant, but Kim had said it was delicious and Shindo was always willing to try something new. He had met Kim outside the building, during his stroll, and they had struck up conversation. The American had not been surprised at his friends quick losses, but he had been nervous about meeting Shindo again, not really sure on how his presence would have been received. He was happy to find the Japanese boy willing to talk with him and they spent the better part of the afternoon talking about everything possible.

For the first time in hours, Shindo felt relaxed. All thoughts of Waya and Touya fled from his mind, as being with Kim seemed to take the heavy burden off his shoulders. Even Sai seemed to have perked up. Hikaru guessed that his moody attitude had gotten the kind spirit in a blue funk as well.

"Try the pepperoni," Kim finally said with a light laugh. "I did tell you that pizza is like water to these people here. It is almost a sacred meal."

"Kinda like okonomiyaki, huh?" Shindo replied with a smile as it finally got to their turn.

Kim nodded. He was familiar with the Japanese-style pizza and he had had a chance to taste a few, thanks to his mother's connections. He ordered the meal and paid for it, before finding a table for them in the rapidly filling cafeteria.

_Uuumm…Hikaru?_

_What is it, Sai?_ Shindo took a slice of the pizza and began to chew on it. _Did I stain my suit or something?_

_Ah…no…but…didn't Touya and Waya tell you to wait for them in the hall, so that you could all go to lunch together?_

Hikaru choked on his food and reached quickly for his drink to wash it down. Smiling at Kim's worried countenance, he frowned lightly. _I am not going to eat with them, Sai. Those two…_

How could he explain the emotional turmoil he was going through right now? He felt like he couldn't win with either of them and it wasn't fair.

Sai nodded in understanding. _But you just can't keep running away from them, Hikaru. You are going to have to play with Touya again this afternoon…_

_I know that! You don't have to rub it in and now if you don't mind, I would like to finish up my meal in peace! _

Kim blinked at the annoyed look on Shindo's face and he chewed nervously on his pizza. Was the blond angry with him about something? He was trying to gather enough courage to ask, when a familiar voice sent a cold chill down his spine.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Mr. Shindo Hikaru and the traitor."

Kim winced as he felt Matt place a hand on his shoulder. Chris and two other boys surrounded the table, causing Shindo to drop the pizza in his hands back on to his plate. He didn't want any trouble, but it seemed like Matt and his teammates didn't take losing very well. Suddenly wishing that Touya or Waya were beside him, Shindo tried to maintain his cool. He couldn't hear everything that they were saying to Kim, but from their expressions, Shindo could tell that the poor kid was being harassed over something.

I should stop them. He thought with a growing frown. I should stop them from being such overgrown crybabies.

Hikaru…be careful…

Hai, I know…

"Leave him alone," he finally said slowly. Aware of how heavily accented his English was, he couldn't help blushing at the looks that were thrown his way.

"Hello?" Matt taunted. "It looks like the Japanese boy can actually speak English!"

Shindo's face flamed at the laughter that followed and unable to take it anymore, he yelled out angrily. "Why don't you all stop acting like a bunch of whiny losers and get the hell away from us?!"

Matt frowned and turned to face Kim. "What did he say?"

Kim stuttered weakly and shook his head. "I…I don't know…he…he… was talking too fast…"

"Stop lying to us, Kim!" Matt growled and shook the smaller boy. "You had better tell us what he said, or we will make you pay for being such a goddamn pussy!"

By this time, the entire cafeteria had their attention on them and Shindo wanted to leave as quickly as possible before things got out of hand. "Just leave him alone! He hasn't done anything to you!"

"You shut up!" Matt screamed, his face reddening with anger. "And to think that I was going to make friends with you guys! How could you make us lose so badly?! You could have at least given us a chance to redeem ourselves! Do you know how bad we looked out there?! I can just see the papers tomorrow morning – 'American washouts! Gone in three fucking strikes!' I bet you guys all planned that out, didn't you?!"

"Come on, Matt," Chris said softly, as he tried to pull the other boy away from Shindo's face. "They are about to call the cops on us. We had better leave. We still have other matches to play, you know."

"You had better pray that we don't meet again, Shindo Hikaru!" Matt bellowed, as he shrugged Chris's hand away. "Because next time, I will make sure you guys go down like the losers you are!"

"Is there a problem here?"

The boys shrank back at the presence of the uniformed officers and Matt shook his head with a winning smile on his face. "No, officer. No problems here. We were just leaving." And dropping Kim back on his seat, the taller boys made their way out of the room, leaving two clearly shaken boys behind.

"You two doing alright?" The policeman asked. Since Shindo didn't understand, he could only nod mutely as he watched Kim bury his face within his arm. He felt a dull anger sear through him again as he noticed the trail of silent tears that had begun to cascade down the smaller boy's cheeks. Getting to his feet, he excused himself from the officer and leant over Kim.

"Hey…do you want us to get out of here? We can go eat someplace else. And besides…Waya and Touya are waiting for me."

Kim nodded slowly and rose to his feet, allowing Shindo to lead him back to the where the games were being held. He sniffled softly and wiped his eyes, not wanting to garner attention to his pitiful predicament. Meanwhile, Shindo's eyes roamed the grounds, wondering where Waya and Touya could possibly be. He wasn't _that _late for their appointment.

"Aaah man…where the hell are they? And I can't afford to leave this place or we might miss them again…"

"Oi! Shindo!"

The familiar cry sent both boys spinning around quickly as they watched Waya run towards them with an impossible grin on his face. Shindo blinked and wondered if he was seeing things. The Waya he had left earlier had seemed morose and grouchy, but the sudden transformation left him bewildered and quite confused. It only became tenfold as Waya threw an arm around his shoulders, causing a dull blush to fill his cheeks at the close proximity of their bodies.

"Where did you go to, Shindo?" The redhead asked, quite aware of the effect his soft breath was having on Hikaru's skin. "I was looking all over for you."

"Uh…I was…I was…." Kami! Had he forgotten how to _talk_ now?!

"He was with me. I am sorry for keeping you away from him for so long," Kim explained with a small bow.

Waya blinked as he finally noticed the smaller boy and for a moment a flicker of uncertainty filled his eyes. "It's okay, Waya," Shindo said softly. "He is with us now. Those stupid Americans tried to pick a fight with us at the pizza place and they almost got him in trouble."

"The Americans?"

"Hai. They didn't like the fact that they had lost to us and so they came to where we were eating and tried to start a fight. If it weren't for the policemen, we would have been in trouble."

Waya could only gape at Shindo as if he had begun to speak in French. So, while he and Touya had been busy making plans on how to snag him, Shindo had almost gotten beaten by a bunch of whiners. Waya suddenly felt incredibly foolish.

"Gomen…" he said softly. Hikaru stared at him with a puzzled look. "Huh?"

Waya shook his head and smiled. "Ah…nothing. It's just that…"

"Shindo!"

Both spun around and Hikaru waved lightly at the approaching boy that had called him, not noticing the low growl that escaped Waya's lips or the clenched fists that soon followed. Touya, however, did notice and he struggled to keep a firm hold on his neutral expression. He noticed that Kim was with them and raising a curious eyebrow at Shindo, he listened to the quick rundown of the events that had happened.

"Ah…I am sorry to hear about that, Kim. I hope that you were not hurt too badly," Touya said lightly, as he stood, a tad bit, too close to Shindo.

Kim eyed the three boys with wariness. He could feel the underlying tension and not wishing to ask about it, he nodded. "I am fine now. Shindo was nice enough to help me out."

Touya's smile widened as he gently placed a hand on the bleached blond's arm. "Hai, Shindo is that kind of a person. He's always willing to help others in need, aren't you…_Shindo-kun?_"

Hikaru's face turned a deeper shade of red as Touya glanced at him with a look in those green eyes that almost made him want to pass out. His discomfort grew as he felt Waya begin to caress his shoulder and a small shiver of delight coursed down his spine. He fought the urge to whimper or to close his eyes as the two boys at his sides continued their, seemingly, innocent actions. The final straw came when Touya's hand moved towards his hip and with a small yelp of surprise, Shindo jumped back in disbelief.

Waya and Touya exchanged quick frowns with each other, before the redhead turned back to face the flustered blonde with a small smirk. "Something wrong, Shindo? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Ah…I…I…"

_Sai?! You saw that, didn't you?! You saw what they were doing to me, right?_

The spirit shook his head, an expression of pure innocence on his features. _I have no idea of what you are talking about, Hikaru. Why do you ask me?_

_Grr…because I know that look on your face! You know something and you are not telling me!_

Sai covered his face with his hands and shook his head even more fervently. _I know nothing, I tell you! _But the telltale tone of amusement filled his voice and this only aggravated Shindo.

"Shindo-kun, are you sure you are alright? You look kind of…pale…" Touya made a step forward and was rewarded with a quick retreat from the blonde.

"Don't come any closer to me…_both of you_!" He added, quickly, as Waya tried to move as well.

The redhead frowned. "What the hell's wrong with you, Shindo? Is it so wrong to ask about your welfare now? Geez…you act as if we are trying to kill you or something." He snorted in derision and turned his face away.

Hikaru bit his lower lip. Maybe _he_ was overreacting. Maybe his wild imagination had conjured up that tingling sensation of being 'molested' by the two boys. Yeah, that had to be it! After all, there was no way in hell that Touya and Waya could both want to do…to do…

_Eeee!! What the hell am I thinking?!_

"Perhaps you should lie down or something?" Kim interrupted softly. Shindo's alarmed expressions were puzzling to the boy. "You did eat your pizza a bit too fast."

Waya snickered. "Sure…I bet it went down the wrong way. You should learn how to relax more, Shindo…"

The look that was thrown his way sent Hikaru gasping again as that hot, uncomfortable feeling rushed all the way down to his nether regions. There was something going on and he wasn't sure what it was yet, but one thing was certain…he felt as if he were being appraised and he didn't know if he was happy or worried about the prospect.

Touya sighed heavily and began to walk towards an eatery across the street. "Let's get something to eat. The afternoon match begins in a less than half an hour. We should try to get ourselves in the right mindset." He threw a cold look in Waya's direction and it was returned with an even colder one. Growling beneath his breath, Touya pushed the door open and ushered his tension-filled guests to their table.

Hikaru tried his hardest to listen to Ogata's words, but was failing miserably. They were currently sitting in the Player's lounge, at the hotel, after going through another obligatory interview session and Shindo could only stare into his glass of orange juice like a zombie. However, his body told a different story, for it felt as if it would explode at any given moment. He was sandwiched between Touya and Waya with his hands clasped tightly on his lap. His face burned with heat and he was glad that the lounge was not brightly lit, for his state of discomfort would have been discovered in no time. Every movement from the two boys at his sides, sent Hikaru's pulses racing and whether or not Akira and Waya knew what they were doing – he could not tell.

The match with Germany had been quick as well – not as quick as with the Americans, but close enough. The press had already begun to label their team as the 'Speed Demons' and all four boys could only try to make light of the nickname. Hikaru was still amazed at how well he had played considering his mindset. If it weren't for Sai, again, Shindo knew he would have lost the match.

Waya moved and their thighs brushed against each other…yet again. Hikaru bit his lower lip and smiled weakly at the quick 'sorry' that was thrown his way before the redhead continued his animated conversation with Amano-san.

"Are you alright, Shindo?" Touya asked softly, as Ogata finally finished with his speech about something. Hikaru was just about to shake his head to say that he was far from feeling all right, when he felt Touya's fingers brush against his other thigh, causing him to jump and blush even more furiously. In his distress, he knocked over his glass of juice and could only watch in dismay as the cold liquid stained his slacks.

"Damn it!"

"I'll get it!" came the two simultaneous cries from Akira and Waya. Both boys had already picked up paper napkins and were in the process of dabbing the stain on the clothed thigh, when they exchanged scowls with one another.

Through grit teeth, Waya muttered softly. "I said, I got it…Touya."

Akira's scowl deepened. "I was going to wipe it first, Waya."

"Uh…guys…"

"What the hell is wrong with you, Touya? I said I was going to do this first, so back off!"

"Guys…"

"I will not argue with you, Waya. It is obvious that you have a problem with me being first at anything…or getting the better of you…"

"Guuuuuuys…."

"Why you little…!"

"Guys!"

The loud scream from the red-faced blond caused everyone to gape at him in bewilderment. Hikaru was trembling and he felt like pummeling the two bickering boys before him. Didn't they have any idea of what they were doing to him?

Waya was the first to break the thick silence. "Shin…Shindo…?"

But Hikaru was not ready to listen. He turned to face Ogata and asked in a slightly trembling voice. "Can I go back to my room? I don't believe I have anything to do here right now."

Ogata's reply was a simple nod and a puff from his cigarette. He watched Hikaru almost run out of the room and a small frown came on his visage as he eyed Waya and Akira.

"Is there something I should know?" he asked softly.

Waya shook his head quickly. "No…nothing." And turning to Akira, he said curtly. "We need to talk…now!" Giving a quick 'excuse me' to Amano-san and Ogata, he placed a hand on Akira's arm and literally pulled him out of the lounge and towards a relatively quiet area.

He pushed the longhaired boy rather roughly against a wall and trapped him by placing both hands on either side of his head. With golden eyes narrowed, Waya spat out coldly. "Listen to me, Touya. We seem to be going about this wrong way, don't you think?"

Akira struggled to hide the flush that was filling his face at being treated in such a manner and in a voice that betrayed his inner turmoil, he replied calmly, "Shouldn't you be saying that to yourself, Waya?"

With a low growl, Waya pressed his body closer to Akira's, smirking in satisfaction at the small gasp that escaped the other's lips. He traced Touya's parted lips with a thumb, his smirk widening as he watched the pink tip of his tongue try to capture it.

"We are trying to seduce Shindo, ne? And what have we done so far, Touya?"

Akira groaned helplessly at the friction that was caused by Waya's slow movements and for a second, completely forgot what he had planned to say. Finally resorting to a nod, the redhead continued huskily. "We have scared him away, haven't we? I wouldn't be surprised if he hates us by now with the way we've been carrying on."

With a small sigh, he pushed himself away and leaned against the wall himself. Running fingers through his hair, he stared morosely at the ceiling. "We should take it slow or something."

Akira tried to steady his rapid breathing as he nodded in agreement. "Ha…Hai."

Both remained quiet for a few minutes before the 6-Dan muttered softly. "Perhaps we should take turns."

"He is not a goddamn toy! How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Well, it is obvious that both of us going at the same time, scares him off, so why don't we take different days to be with him."

Waya scowled and pinned a wary gaze on Akira's flushed face. "What do you mean…be with him?"

"It's not what you are thinking," came the flustered reply. "I just meant that each of us should have a day we can spend with Shindo without the other interfering, that's all."

Waya seemed to think this over. "Soooo…you are saying that each of us get to take turns to see who gets him to give in first, hmm?"

Akira did not like the knowing look that had come to the redhead's face and he grumbled reluctantly. "Yes…"

"Alright! Then it's settled. We each take turns to be with Shindo and naturally I go first! Got a problem with that, Touya?" He asked with a smug grin as he noticed the longhaired boy about to protest.

With a sigh of resignation, Akira nodded. "No…I have no problem with it."

Waya held out his hand. "Should we shake on it?"

Touya eyed the offering as if it were a snake before reluctantly reaching for it. "Yeah…I guess we sho…mmmphfff!!"

The kiss was hard, sweet and all too brief, for once Waya pulled away, Akira was left gaping at him in shock. The redhead laughed and danced away with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Payback for that stunt you pulled earlier, Touya." And spinning around with a light wave, he yelled back over his shoulder. "Let the games begin!"


	9. Waya and Hikaru Round 1?

**Part Eight:**

Waya had to think through the situation carefully. He was roommates with Shindo so that was a plus already, but the bleached blond still seemed jumpy around him. Waya hadn't even tried to get Hikaru to speak to him last night, for the blond had covered himself with the blankets and had refused to talk to him in return.

_Patience is a virtue,_ he thought to himself. _But then again, I have Touya breathing down my neck, ready to pounce on Shindo if I don't make a move soon._

Their afternoon match was against Australia and if that were won, they would have two days to relax until the elimination matches began. Two days to show Shindo how much he really cared. He bit his lower lip in thought and stared morosely at the ceiling. What in the world could he do with Shindo, especially in a country that he was not familiar with?

_Kim!_

He jumped off his bed and reached for the phone. The Japanese-American had given them his phone number yesterday and dialing it quickly, Waya tapped his fingers restlessly on the table.

_Come on…come on…_

"Hello, Hayakawa residence?" came the cheerful female voice over the line, after five more rings.

"Ah…_moshi moshi_. Could I speak to Kim, please? This is a life and death situation."

"If you had placed the black here, white's territory would have diminished considerably. There was no way it could have moved."

"Hmmm…but if white had come over here, black would have been in serious trouble."

Ochi pursed his lips at the stubborn argument and he took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He hated discussing games with Shindo. The bleached blond seemed to think that he was right in everything and arguing with him was useless. Scowling, he lifted his gaze and asked coldly.

"Why are you playing with me now? I thought you would have wanted to play with Waya or Touya."

Shindo stiffened at the question, before reaching for the stones to pack them up quickly. "I don't know what you're talking about. Is it so wrong to ask you for a game now?"

"Well, since we got here you haven't asked me for a game and now…"

"And now I asked you for one, so sue me!" Shindo rose to his feet. "I'm going to go study some kifu. Thanks for playing in the first place."

Leaving the pouting boy's presence, Shindo made his way to the patio and sat down on a lounge chair. The crisp morning air did more to calm his nerves and he could almost feel himself relaxing. He closed his eyes and stretched languidly as the sounds of the cars below him didn't seem to be as annoying as he thought they would be. He got to his feet and leaned over the balustrade, watching the tiny dots for cars that moved below him. He glanced across the street and smiled softly at the view of the beautiful, lush trees that made up Central Park. He would have loved to visit the famous park, but he wanted to go with someone. Thoughts of asking Ochi were out of the question and to his surprise; he had not seen Touya or Waya since he woke up this morning.

_I wonder where they are…feh! Who cares where they are? After that…that…thing they did to me last night._

He pouted and closed his eyes. If he didn't care, why then was his heart pounding with excitement? It had looked like Waya and Touya had been fighting over him and knowing that the idea was clearly stupid, Shindo refused to put any stock in it.

Sai…do you think I over reacted yesterday? Do you think I pushed them away?

The spirit shook his head slowly. No, Hikaru. It was all new and rather…surprising to say the least, but I don't think you did anything that didn't need to be done.

So where are they? Are they avoiding me now? Maybe they hate me, Sai.

I doubt they do, Hikaru. Oh, look…here comes Waya now.

Shindo spun around with his heart rate quickening as he stared at the approaching figure of Waya. The redhead was dressed in casual jeans and a black t-shirt with the words 'New York' on it and on his handsome visage was a small smile that had Shindo blushing lightly.

"Hey, Shindo, whatcha doin' outside here?"

Hikaru could only stare at him as he gripped the edge of the balustrade tightly. "I was just…enjoying the air. Where…" he licked his lips and tried again, since his voice seemed to be coming out in thin gasps. "Where were you this morning?"

_Not_ that I care…

Waya gave a small secretive smile and leaned upon the rail as well. "I was just thinking of what a big jerk I was to you yesterday, Shindo and I want to make it up to you."

"Ma…make it up to me…me?"

"Yeah!" Came the enthusiastic reply. "That's why I want to take you out to town today. We can go hang out without those noisy Americans interfering. So, what do you say?"

Shindo's eyes widened as his blush deepened. "But…but you don't know anywhere around here! Where could we go?!"

Waya smirked and winked. "Leave it all to me, Shindo. I have everything under control. So, meet me in the lobby after the match today and we'll get going, okay?" And before Hikaru could think, Waya leaned closer to place a soft, chaste kiss on his cheek. He backed away with a bright smile. "See you later, Shindo!"

Hikaru stood immobile, a trembling hand reaching up to caress his burning cheek in astonishment, as he watched Waya walk away from him. What the hell was going on? Was this a…_date_?

"A _date_ with _Waya_? Kuso!" He ran nervous fingers through his hair and sat heavily on the lounge chair. "Oh, God…what…what am I going to do?"

Later that evening….

How do I look, Sai?

The spirit giggled and nodded enthusiastically. You look fine, Hikaru. I must say black does suit you quite well.

You think? I don't look too overdressed or anything? Shindo stared at his image in the mirror with a worried frown. He was dressed in a simple black shirt and matching slacks, which did more to highlight his bleached blond locks and the green of his eyes.

Let's hurry already, Hikaru. We are going to be late!

Sheesh, Sai. Anyone would think it was you going for the date…I mean…going out!

"This is not a date. It's just Waya taking me out for the evening that's all." He licked his parched lips and nodded curtly. "Okay, Sai. Let's do this."

He stepped out of the bedroom and began to make his way past the living room, where Ochi and Touya sat watching some American TV show. Hoping he could escape unnoticed, he immediately froze at Touya's voice.

"Where are you going to, Shindo?"

_Damn!_

"Ah…I was just going down to the lobby, Touya." Why did he sound so guilty? It wasn't as if he was doing anything wrong…was he?

Akira tore his gaze from the TV screen and glanced back to take in the full sight of Shindo. He sucked in a harsh breath at how good the other boy looked and he felt a dull flare of jealousy at Waya's good fortune. Shindo was beginning to get uncomfortable at the intense scrutiny from Akira and shifting from one foot to the other, he tried to tear his gaze away.

"I have to get going now," he finally blurted out quickly. "You two…er…have fun."

Ochi made a small sound of disgust, while Akira smiled weakly. "You too, Shindo. You too…"

Hikaru gave another small smile and made a beeline for the front door. Unfortunately, he found himself bumping into Ogata, who had chosen that moment to come into their hotel room.

"Aaah…gomen nasai, sensei," Shindo apologized quickly, as he tried to steady himself.

"Going somewhere, Shindo?" Ogata asked with a wary look on his features.

"Ha…hai. Someone is waiting for me downstairs…"

"Where is Waya?" Ogata asked rather impatiently. He was already beginning to glance around the living room for the telltale red hair. "I hope he hasn't gone anywhere without letting anyone know now, has he?"

Ochi chose that moment to make his voice heard. "Shindo and Waya are going out tonight, Ogata-sensei."

Hikaru scowled and interjected quickly. "But we will come back soon! We promise! There is just this movie that we have to go to…"

"Then why don't we _all_ go to the movie? I have several tickets here to see the latest release at a nearby theater. Consider this a reward for your excellent play this afternoon, hmm?" And not giving anyone a chance to protest, Ogata nodded curtly. "Hurry up, everyone. I will be waiting for you all in the lobby downstairs."

Shindo felt ridiculously close to tears as he watched Touya and Ochi go to their bedrooms to get their jackets.

_This.Is.Not.Happening! Waya is going to be so pissed off at me!_

All thoughts of spending a fun evening with the redhead flew right out the window and Shindo could only imagine the look that was bound to be on Waya's face once he was told the news.

"THEY ARE WHAT?!"

"Shsssh…keep your voice down, Waya-kun. It's okay…we can still have fun on our own later on. I mean, Ogata-sensei said it was only for a movie…"

Waya was already shaking his head in refusal. There was no way in hell that he was going to watch a movie with the other man and not only that…have Touya and Ochi tagging along. This was supposed to be his day, dammit! Ogata couldn't do this to him!

"No way in hell am I going to go out with him! Where is he?" he asked, glancing around the lobby quickly. He could see Touya and Ochi step out from the elevator and his anger grew tenfold. He was sure that Akira was jumping with glee inside at having ruined their date.

_I will get him back for this! I swear it!_

Touya walked up to the duo with a small smile on his handsome features. "Has Ogata-sensei come down yet? He did tell us to wait for him…"

"No, he hasn't!" Waya snapped. "And you know what? We don't have to wait for him either. Come on, Shindo. Let's get going. Let those three have their own fun…" He tugged restlessly on Hikaru's arm and began to lead him out of the building, ignoring the small protests that accompanied the action.

"Waaaya…we have to wait…"

"Yoshikata! Where do you think you are going to?"

Waya sucked in a harsh breath and sighed in defeat. This was hopeless. All his plans were ruined. Gone. Wasted. Pointless – that was until the soft whisper against his ear made him see reason.

"Why don't we just go along with them for the movie and then we can escape when it's almost over, hmm? The theater will be dark and so there is no way they can spot us when we leave."

Waya tried hard to control the shiver at the husky tone and he nodded weakly. Shindo was too close to him and realizing the way they both looked, Waya smirked and stole a glance at Touya as if daring him to make a comment about their close proximity. He didn't know if he ought to feel disappointed at the blank look that was given to him in return. Akira didn't even look as if the situation fazed him, he only spun around and began to follow Ogata and Ochi towards the waiting limousine.

"Yeah…" Waya finally muttered softly, as he placed his hand over Shindo's. "Let's escape when the lights go out…"

Waya and Shindo made sure they sat behind Ogata and the others, once inside the theater. The movie was action-oriented with a world famous movie star in the lead role, which would have appealed to both boys if only the others hadn't followed them. However, they both found the time to tease each other, making corny jokes and giggling like teenage girls as they waited impatiently for the previews to be over with. Waya would throw some popcorn at Shindo and the blond would do the same. Unfortunately, Waya became a bit too enthusiastic in his throwing and some ended up falling in Ogata's hair.

"Oops!"

Ogata cleared his throat and shook his head rapidly, getting the popcorn out and in a tone that was as cold as ice, he spun around to glare at both boys. "You will behave yourselves, or you will be kicked out of the theater, do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal." Waya nodded with a wide grin. "Sorry about that. It won't happen again…sir."

As soon as Ogata spun around to face the screen again, Waya raised two fingers behind his head and made a particularly, funny face, which sent Shindo into peals of laughter. Waya slapped a hand over Hikaru's mouth and made a hushing motion, but he could barely contain his own giggles and soon enough, both ended up laughing themselves silly.

Touya could only listen with a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach. He clenched his hands on his lap and struggled to keep his eyes pinned on the large screen, but that was becoming harder to do. So, what if he had kissed Shindo? It still looked as if both he and Waya had an even stronger bond now. Touya felt like he had little to no chance of ever getting that comfortable with Hikaru. He didn't know what the boy liked. He didn't know the kinds of places they could go or things they could do together besides playing Go and there was certainly no way that they would _play Go_ on their _date_. Sighing heavily, he subjected himself to listening to the hushed whispers and soft giggles, even as his heart seemed to ache with a pain that would never go away.

_I don't think I could ever win. Compared to Waya…I am terribly boring and have nothing really interesting to tell Shindo._

The movie began and the lights went dim, giving the theater a cozy feel. Twenty or so minutes into the movie, Waya nudged Shindo's arm and nodding, Hikaru rose to his feet and began to walk out of the theater, grateful for their seats being close to the entrance. Once outside, he stuck his hands into his pockets and paced around impatiently. He could feel his body throb with excitement and he wondered what Waya had in store for them tonight. Would he finally get a chance to steal his first real kiss with the redhead? Touya had felt incredible, but how would Waya feel?

"Boo!"

"Baka!" Shindo cried out as he almost fell from the surprise hug from Waya. He laughed and playfully shoved Waya away from him and in no time, both were running down the theater lobby in a game of hide and seek. After five minutes of this and two warning glares from some policemen, Waya wrapped his arms around Shindo's shoulders and led him towards the condiment bar. They 'oohed' and 'aahed' at the assortment of candy at their disposal and having enough money to spend, they stuffed their pockets with as much gummy worms, sour skittles, jelly beans, sweet tarts and licorice sticks.

"The limo should be waiting for us outside," Waya announced loudly as he led them out of the building. Hikaru was busy chewing on a red licorice stick and juggling with the brown bag, filled with candy, in the other hand. "Ah! There it is! Let's go, Shindo!"

"Whoo hoo!" They climbed into the large car and made themselves comfortable in the back seat. "Where are we going to first, Waya?"

Waya grinned and tossed a guidebook towards him. "Wherever you wish to go, Shindo-kun," he said with a warm smile. "I told the driver to take us to the best places to visit in the city."

"Can we go to Yankee Stadium then?" Hikaru asked in excitement, almost bouncing in his seat. "Come on, come on! I want to see Yankee Stadium first!"

Waya snickered and moved closer to him. "Fine, fine…Yankee Stadium it is. Hey, driver!" He pressed the button that wound down the black partition and called out. "Could you please take us to Yankee Stadium?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Huh? He speaks Japanese?"

Waya nodded and smirked. "He sure does."

"How did you…?"

Waya placed a finger against Shindo's lips to silence him. "I have my ways, Hikaru. Just sit back and enjoy the ride."

The man stared at both boys with a skeptical frown on his features. He really shouldn't be allowing kids into the building, but the desperate looks on their faces was enough to do him in. For one thing, they were clearly foreigners and must have had come a pretty long way just to see what Yankee Stadium was like and secondly, their limo driver looked like he was going to start bawling for them at any second. He sighed and scratched his head.

"Geez, fellas. The stadium is closed to the public for now. I mean, the team isn't even in town right now and if the boss hears that I let you guys come in…"

"We aren't going to do anything, honest!" Waya pleaded.

Hikaru nodded fervently. "Please, sir. We just want to see what the field looks like. The Yankees are my idols and I would love to have a chance to see what it really feels to be in the great Yankee Stadium! Pleeeeeease!!"

Toby Smithy, a Yankee Stadium janitor for over thirty years, sighed heavily and finally gave in. "Alright, boys…but just for an hour tops. You can take a look around and don't go touching anything you shouldn't, got that?"

"Hai!!"

With impossible grins on their faces, Waya and Shindo almost pushed poor Toby to the ground as soon as the doors were opened. They ran down the long walkway, which seemed a bit eerie as no one was in sight. Hikaru could almost feel and hear the sounds of the throngs of people that would have walked down this same path. He could smell the hotdogs and the beer that would flow from the empty stands. He could hear the cries of the enthusiastic crowd as their team scored another run.

"This way, Shindo!"

Hikaru ran after Waya as they made their way up the stairs and into the stands. Shindo sucked in a harsh breath as his gaze fell upon the most famous baseball park in the world.

"Wow….Waya…it's…it's…beautiful…"

The redhead could only nod in silent awe at the hushed whisper from his friend. The baseball field that they had only seen on television or read about in magazines was finally before them. And with the fading light of the evening sky, dusting its long shadows across the field – the stadium seemed to harbor an almost mystical aura around it. As if hypnotized, both boys walked down the stairs all the way to the bottom stands, their gaze never leaving the diamond-shaped playground below them.

"Let's go down there," Waya said softly.

Hikaru swallowed and nodded. They both jumped over the rail and walked into the field itself. Shindo could feel his body trembling in excitement. He stepped up to the pitcher's mound and stood there with his eyes closed. He could hear the crowd screaming his name. It was the final inning in Game Seven of the World Series and everyone was relying on him to pitch the last batter out. One more fastball and the championship was theirs.

Waya stepped up to the batter's box, a few feet away from Shindo, and held up an imaginary bat. "Come on, big shot! Throw me your best fastball and watch me hit it out of the ballpark!"

Shindo opened his eyes and smirked. "Are you sure you are ready to be clobbered, Waya-kun? No one can hit my fastball, you know that!"

"Just throw it, loudmouth!"

Shindo growled. "Here it comes!" And fixing his imaginary baseball hat, he spat out to the side of the mound and glanced back at his imaginary teammates. With a curt nod, he turned back to face Waya, a dangerous glint now in his eyes. He licked his lips and held his hands high above his head and with a quick move that rivaled any pitcher, Shindo let loose his 'ball' and watched with abated breath as it sped towards Waya.

Waya held his stance and with a loud cry, swung his 'bat' as hard as he could. He dropped it and began to run around the bases, hoping to get to home plate before Shindo caught it.

"Aaaah! It's an in the park homerun!" Shindo announced as he picked up the 'ball' and began to run towards home, waiting for Waya to come around, so as to tag him out. Waya picked up his speed and cursed loudly. He would have to slide if he had any chance of getting the run and doing just that, he was stunned to find himself barreling straight into Shindo, causing them both to fall flat on the dusty earth.

"You are out!" Shindo bellowed as he wrapped his arms tightly around Waya's waist, holding him prisoner.

"Kisama! I got here before you!"

"No, you didn't! I tagged you out, fair and square!"

"No, you did not! I got here before you…"

"Aaaaaaargghhh!"

Both boys screamed as the sprinklers suddenly came on. The water soaked through their already dirty clothes and hair and they struggled to find their footing. With a loud laugh, Shindo shoved Waya back to the ground and in seconds both boys were rolling around on the wet grass in a mock wrestling match, the water still splashing around them in torrents.

Finally panting for air, Hikaru got the upper hand and pinned Waya to the ground by straddling his hips and holding his wrists within his hands. Laughing uncontrollably, he lay his head upon Waya's soaked shirt, trying to catch his breath.

"Shi…Shindo…" Waya panted out harshly, as he tried to hide how much Hikaru's position was affecting him. A dull blush was coming to his features now and he found his heart pounding with anticipation.

"What is it, Waya?" Shindo asked softly as he lifted his gaze to pin smiling green eyes on his partner and friend.

"I…I…will…will you kiss me, Shindo?" he finally asked softly, with hope in his golden depths.

Hikaru gasped in surprise before allowing a small smile to come to his lips. This was the chance he had been hoping for and Waya had asked for it…_first?_

"Not if you kiss me, too," Hikaru teased even though his voice trembled with emotion.

Waya needed no second bidding and closing his eyes, he groaned softly as he lifted himself to claim Hikaru's lips in a tentative kiss. It was feather light, barely ghosting each other as they both tried to savor the moment. Shindo tightened his hold on Waya's wrists and pressed his lips harder against the redhead's. He whimpered as he felt Waya part them for him and remembering what he had done to Touya, Shindo slipped his tongue into the warm cavern, exploring and tasting the boy he had longed for so long.

Waya whimpered and struggled to release the hold Shindo had on his wrists. He wanted to hold the other boy. To feel Shindo totally and completely and just relishing in this kiss alone was not enough. He bucked up gently, gasping within the kiss as the dual ache in their lower regions almost sent them both crying out in…

"HEY!! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KIDS THINK YOU ARE DOING?!"

Both boys pulled away from each other and stared guiltily at the bright light that was now focused on them. Blushing heavily, they jumped to their feet and apologized profusely. But Toby wasn't having any of that. Cursing himself for allowing the 'the damn gay' boys to use his field as their bedroom, Waya and Shindo were unceremoniously kicked out from the stadium.

For several minutes, they stood beside the waiting limo, not really sure of what to say to each other. Finally, Waya sighed and eyed their messed up clothes. "Gomen nasai, Shindo. I was hoping to make this night, kinda special…"

"What are you talking about?" Hikaru asked with a warm smile. He wrapped his arms around Waya's waist and lay his head upon the strong shoulder. "I will never forget this night, Waya-kun. I got a chance to go to Yankee Stadium and to finally…kiss you…"

_Finally?!_ Waya's eyes widened in shock. _Did Shindo really feel the same way for him…?_

"Shindo…"

Hikaru pulled away and stared at the redhead. "Hmm? What is it, Waya?"

"No…nothing."

"Well, come on, then! The night is still young, ne?! Let's go see some other place!" And tugging lightly on Waya's arm, Hikaru began to lead them towards the waiting car.


	10. Steam Rooms and Ice

**Part Nine:**

Ogata was furious, but his bland expression gave nothing away. Besides the palpable tension that the two boys in his company felt, one might have thought that he was just enjoying a smoke. Akira idly watched the rings that were formed from the light puffs, although his mind whirled with thoughts of Waya and Shindo. He wondered what they were doing at this time. It was now almost two hours since their 'escape' from the movie theater and once Ogata realized what had happened, his relatively good mood had dissipated rapidly.

He put out the cigarette with a light grunt and peered out of the darkened glass of the limousine. They were on their way back to the hotel and needless to say, the ride was quite uncomfortable. With a muttered curse, he turned back to face the quiet boys sitting across him.

"Are you sure that you do not know where they might have gone?" he asked curtly, and even though the question was put to both of them, Ogata's cold gaze was fixed solely on Akira.

Ochi was beginning to get irritated. "Sensei...this is the fifth time you have asked us in the last half hour. We've told you that we have no idea."

"You will watch the way you address me, Ochi," came the icy reply from the older man. He pushed his glasses a bit higher on the bridge of his nose and quirked a brow at the silent 6-Dan.

Akira tried to maintain the staring match, as he shook his head slowly. "I do not know either, Ogata sensei. But they will be back soon. I shouldn't worry too much about them."

Ogata gave a small snort and decided not to pursue the issue any further. He would get his answers in due time but for right now, he had to worry about their upcoming matches and what to do with the two boys that always seemed to aggravate him.

The lady eyed the teenagers with a skeptical glance. They both looked as if they had rolled around in wet grass and the evidence of said grass was everywhere from their hair to their feet. She was aware that they were both getting strange glances from customers and not wanting to draw any more attention she motioned for the man in charge of the men's department.

"Please follow, Mr. Hanson. He will make sure you are outfitted in our latest wear." She managed a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes as she spun around and walked away. The last thing she wanted to deal with was with foreigners especially ones that couldn't speak English very well and were obvious delinquents.

Hikaru was busy 'oohing' and 'aahing' over some of the sports jerseys that hung on the racks, his brain already calculating how much these were bound to cost. He never noticed Waya's scowl or muttered curse at the woman that had now turned her back on them.

"Damn it! She couldn't even invite us for tea like all the other customers here. Who does she think we are? Poor church rats that can't afford it?"

Shindo picked out a Laker's jersey, and holding out the bright yellow and purple shirt against his chest, he chuckled softly at the irritated look on his date's face. "Oi...you didn't have to bring us to this posh clothing store. We could have just gone to any other regular one."

Waya snorted and folded his arms across his chest. He knew that Shindo was right, but being in the mood to please the bleached blond, he had figured that bringing him to this store might have made an even bigger impression. Guess, he was wrong in that assumption. And his hair was now beginning to itch.

"Ah...you both must be my wards for the evening, right?"

The two boys blinked at the grinning, lanky man before them. He looked more like a typical hairdresser, coupled with his long black hair tied in a ponytail and the black ensemble comprising of a body-hugging t-shirt and pants. He grinned at them and bowed slightly.

"If you would both follow me, I will take you to our secret location where only the crème de la crème of society get the royal treatment."

Both boys gave small 'whoas' more to the fact that the man, who hardly looked Japanese, could speak the language quite fluently and with so much ease. They followed, obediently, already wandering what Mr. Hanson had in store for them.

"I just hope it doesn't cost me to much," Waya muttered beneath his breath as they stepped into an elevator. "I think this has been the most expensive date I have ever taken any one to."

Shindo chuckled and wrapped his arms tightly around the pouty-faced boy's waist and placing a soft kiss on his cheek, he whispered softly. "Arigato, Waya-chan. I am having the best time of my life."

And blushing to the roots of his red hair, Waya smiled sheepishly, deciding that if Shindo was this happy about the way things were going, then all the money spent was more than worthwhile.

An hour later, found both boys sitting in a steam room, with only white towels draped loosely around their waists. Waya grinned to himself and reached for his oversized glass of orange and cherry concoction. He sipped it with a soft sigh of content, before leaning back against the wooden wall of the small room they had been cooped in for the past half-hour or so.

The past two hours had been a whirlwind of activity and they were both thankful for the chance to 'cool down' so to speak. Mr. Hanson had seen to it that both boys had been groomed from head to toe. They had been forced to strip out of their soggy suits and were sent into large showers where they had been scrubbed vigorously (Waya had thought at some point that the man taking care of him would have scrubbed his skin right off). Next, had been the facials, pedicures and manicures, which had done more to aggravate the red head. Shindo hadn't minded much, if anything, he had accepted everything with a winning charm that sent everyone in his charge melting with an eagerness to serve him. Needless to say, Mr. Hanson had seen to it that they were pampered and treated like royalty throughout the evening. After the steam room, there were plans to head out for a soak in the sauna and then possibly a romantic dinner for two.

Waya stole a quick glance at his silent companion. Shindo was sitting across him with his eyes closed. Thanks to the steam, his bangs now lay flat against his forehead and the sides of his face. Sweat coated the pale skin, making it look as it was shimmering in the slightly darkened room. Waya swallowed tightly and struggled to tear his gaze away from going any lower. He was now aware of the light bulge underneath the small piece of cloth around his waist and gaping at Shindo wasn't going to help release the ache anytime soon.

He gave an unwilling groan as he thought of reaching out to touch the other boy, only to flush as Shindo opened his eyes to stare at him with a look of concern. "Are you okay, Waya? If it's too hot, we can just tell them to let us out now."

"Ah...eh...no...no, it's okay. I was just...wha?" His face darkened even further as Shindo had now moved right next to him. The blond placed a hand against Waya's forehead and 'hmmed'. "I can't really gauge your temperature in here, since it's already hot. Maybe we should call it a night...that is if you are too tired, Waya."

"But I'm not!" came the vehement reply, which sent Shindo cringing back a little. Seeing this, Waya placed a hand on the other's in a desperate move. "Don't...I...I'm sorry for yelling at you..." he muttered softly. "It's just that...I'm fine and all I wanted to do was to..." His hands slid a bit higher up Shindo's arm, feeling the slick sweat coat the palm of his hands as his fingers reached his neck, jaw and then the softly parted lips.

Shindo gave a small sigh and allowed the wandering digits to trace them. His body trembled in anticipation as he, unconsciously, reached for Waya's waist. As his fingers made contact with the firm flesh, he barely heard the audible gasp, before his lips were caught in a kiss that was nothing like the tentative one they had shared in the baseball park.

This Waya was demanding and more confident. His tongue thrust roughly into Shindo's mouth, causing the blond to tighten his grip as he tried to respond to the hungry assault. Their minds reeled with sensation as tongues clashed and dueled for supremacy. Moans and soft grunts filled the air as they pressed sweat-slicked bodies to each other as if trying to get into each other's skins. Waya sank his hands into Shindo's damp locks and began to push him back onto the bench, never breaking the kiss even as he began to feel the need for air. Hikaru's eyes were now closed as he allowed himself to be manipulated. He was now stretched out on the bench and barely registered his towel sliding off his hips and down to the ground. It was Waya's small cry that had him opening his eyes quickly.

He licked his swollen lips and croaked out weakly. "Wha...what is it...? Did...did I do something wrong?"

He held his breath as he watched the conflicting emotions dance across the other boy's face. Waya gaped openly at the beautiful physique of the naked boy beneath him. His body sang for joy as thoughts of both of them finally becoming one filled his mind. This was the perfect opportunity. Shindo was actually offering himself to be taken. The scenario was too good to be true. The only problem was...

"Get up. We have to go now," came the harsh whisper as he got off Shindo and tossed the towel back to the other to cover him up again.

Shindo blinked in confusion. Had he done something wrong? Had he been too forward? Did Waya not think he was good enough for...? He sat upright and lowered his lashes, aware of how embarrassed he had become. How could he have assumed that Waya wanted to go all the way with him? So what if they were close friends and had shared a kiss or two, that didn't mean that he had to act like a slut now, did it? He felt the slow burn of tears at the back of his eyes. He didn't know which hurt the most. The rejection or the feeling of growing humiliation.

Getting to his feet quickly, he tied the towel around his waist and composed himself quickly. Too distraught at his mistake, he failed to notice Waya's trembling body or the look of pain and longing that was etched on his features. The silence in the steam room grew thick with tension and both boys couldn't even bear to look each other in the eye.

Finally after what seemed like eons, Shindo muttered out a bit coldly, "I think we should be going now. Ogata-sensei is sure to worry about us."

Waya looked like he was about to say something, but seeing the look on Shindo's face, had him nodding slowly. "Yeah...we should be heading back..."

Shindo spun around and began to make his way towards the door. "I will just go find Mr. Hanson and tell him that we are ready to leave."

Waya couldn't even find the words to respond. And as Shindo left the room, he buried his face in his hands and realized, with growing dismay, that he was slowly losing the fight to win the other boy's heart.

Mr. Hanson was loath to see them go and he tried to make them stay for the dinner that had been prepared for them. But with vehement denies to accept the meal, the older man finally gave in.

"I must say, it has been a pleasure to serve you both this evening. And please, tonight was on me, so you do not have to pay a thing."

It was only as they stepped into the limousine, were they told that Mr. Hanson was actually the owner of the large clothing store, salon and spa they had just visited. And as if their shock wasn't enough, the kind-hearted man had loaded the trunk with tons of free clothes and accessories. In ordinary circumstances, the boys would have ransacked the goodies with happy laughter, but now, they could only sit and stare gloomily out of the window, each lost in their own thoughts.

The hotel came into view and both gave inward sighs of relief as the long drive was finally over. With the help of the limousine driver, they carried as much of the bags as they could up to their hotel room.

"Here you go," Waya said with a small smile as he handed out the generous tip to the him. "Thank you for helping us out this evening."

"No problem, sir. The pleasure was all mine. If you ever need me for anything else, I will be more than willing to help you out. Oyasumi!"

"Night!" They watched him step back into the elevator and, soon enough, both boys now stood alone in the relatively quiet lobby. Waya bit his lower lip as he watched Shindo try to find the right card to slide through the door. He wanted to tell Hikaru his reason for stopping, but he was too ashamed to say it and he didn't want to be laughed at either. For all his bravado, Waya was still a virgin and he had never actually been with a guy before. Well, Isumi (his former Insei partner and still very good friend) had almost taken him about a year ago, but the redhead had stopped because of cold feet. And now, he was doing the very same thing to Shindo.

"Are you coming in or not?" Came the weary question from the blonde. He still wasn't looking directly at Waya's face and that hurt the redhead to no end.

"Shindo..." He faltered as his voice seemed choked up with emotion. He couldn't lose to Touya! _He just couldn't!_

"What is it, Waya?" Was that a faint trace of hope in Hikaru's voice? Waya couldn't tell because a familiar soft voice, suddenly, broke into their conversation.

"You two are finally back. How did it go?"

Waya and Shindo spun around to glance at the dark-haired boy, who stood in the middle of the living room with a book in his hands. He had a small smile on his face and a, seemingly, innocent look that had Waya clenching his hands into tight fists.

_He is laughing at me. I just know that he is laughing at me...wha...?  
_  
At first the feel of the warm lips against his, didn't register in his confused brain and he could only stand immobile for several seconds, not wanting to believe that it was real. But, there it was, Shindo was kissing him in front of Touya. Did it mean that he wasn't upset with the redhead? Did it mean that Shindo was willing to give him a second chance?

His answers were not going to be answered, for as soon as he parted his lips to respond, Hikaru pulled back with a cold smile on his lips. He picked up his bags and bowed slightly to Akira. "It was a wonderful date, Touya," he said softly. "I had a good time. Perhaps you should let him take you on one next time, ne?"

Touya blinked in confusion as he watched Hikaru walk into his bedroom and close the door, a bit too loudly, behind him. Waya gave a small sigh and it didn't take a genius to figure out that something wasn't right. Akira wasn't sure if he ought to celebrate or feel sorry for the redhead. He really did look as if he had been pole-axed and pretty badly too.

"Waya..."

"It's okay, Touya," came the pained whisper. "Have fun with him. I guess I blew my chance with my stupid, silly, mistake. I am such a...a..._fool_!"

"Waya...?"

But he got no answer from the redhead, for the agitated boy had walked into the den and had locked himself away for the night it seemed.

Akira stood immobile for several minutes, not really sure of what to make from what he had just witnessed. What could have happened between the two boys that had left earlier with happy expressions on their faces? Was Hikaru really that hard to woo? If Waya hadn't succeeded...then what chance in hell did _he_ have?

He placed a hand upon his pounding chest and sat down heavily on the couch. Perhaps...perhaps Hikaru had found out their plan to seduce him after all? Yeah, that had to be it! Hikaru had found out and was upset and now Akira knew without a doubt that he would have to work twice as hard to convince Shindo that he really did have strong feelings for him.

_I am better than Waya._ He thought with a look of determination on his handsome features as he got to his feet. And pinning blazing green eyes on the bedroom door that held his future conquest, he whispered harshly.

"Shindo. I don't know what happened tonight with Waya, but I will prove to you that _I _am the one you should be with."


	11. A Date with Shinwho?

**Part Ten:**

"_Good evening and welcome to the evening news at seven. We will begin with the most talked about event of the past week and that is the Annual International Go Competition that is being held in the city. For the past week, teams from over sixty countries have competed in grueling and tough matches, all in the quest to claim bragging rights as the best in a sport that is rapidly gaining popularity around the world. The elimination rounds have begun and as expected, the top three countries have breezed through their matches with no problems at all. Korea, China_ _and Japan_ _are the countries to beat in this event it seems. And as we enter the final crucial week of the tournament, you can expect the competition amongst the three rival nations to become even more heated..."_

The orange-haired man groaned as he listened to the bulletin on the large screen TV. "Aaah...it seems like many reports still don't see Japan as a threat. We are still the underdogs by a margin of 6-4. What a bummer."

"I wouldn't worry too much, Amano-san," Ogata drawled lightly as he tapped the ash from his cigarette into the tray before him. "I think the boys enjoy the fact that they are not the heavy favorites. They have little or no pressure on them and that is why they have performed exceptionally well in their previous matches."

Amano nodded with a grin. "Hai, you are right, Ogata-sensei. I shouldn't be worrying too much. I just have a gut feeling that for the first time ever, we just might be able to beat those guys, ne?"

All he got was a light 'hn' as the teacher's eyes had now begun to follow the rather tense figure of the young boy who was making his way out of the lobby.

_Hmm..._

"Eh? Isn't that Touya-sensei?" Amano gasped in surprise as he too noticed the boy in the black raincoat step through the large glass doors. "Where is he going to?"

Ogata shrugged and downed his drink in a gulp. Getting to his feet, he sank his hands into the pockets of his pants and replied smoothly. "I am not really their keeper when it comes to their free time. They are at liberty to do whatever they want, just as long as it doesn't interfere with their upcoming matches. And now, if you will excuse me, I have some kifu to study."

"Aaa...of course..."

And with a light bow, he left the presence of the, very, bewildered reporter.

The rain was beginning to fall at a steady pace and even though it was just two in the afternoon, the thick and gray clouds made it seem as if it were late in the evening. Akira shivered and sneezed lightly before stepping over yet another puddle. He was dressed in a protective raincoat, but in his haste, he had forgotten to bring an umbrella and now he stood drenched and cold, wondering if this whole thing was worth it. But remembering what he was doing this for, he figured a little rain couldn't hurt.

_I will make you mine, Shindo. Somehow, someway..._

"Yo! So you managed to find your way in this jungle. I am impressed."

Akira spun around to face the grinning boy, who looked a whole lot worse than he. "Ma...Mark!"

"In the flesh!" Came the exuberant greeting from the American, who stood dressed in only a now soaked leather jacket over a simple t-shirt and jeans. "Come on! My car is at the other side of the street. I did tell you to wait for me in front of Thirty-fourth and Fifth, didn't I?"

Akira scowled. "It is not easy to navigate through these streets. The directions you gave me were quite vague and I almost got lost."

"But you didn't, did you? So stop bitching and follow me."

Akira opened his mouth to say something else, but decided to close it shut seeing that Mark had no intentions of listening to him anyway.

As they got into the small, black Mustang, the 6-Dan sighed inwardly as he recalled the events that led him up to this point.

The day after the night of Waya and Hikaru's debacle, Touya had spent the hours pondering on the sort of things he could actually do with Shindo. Each thought he came up with ended up with both of them playing Go and to Akira, that scenario would just never do. How could he spend an entire day playing Go with the boy he was trying to woo? There was no way in hell that he could achieve anything and he figured that Shindo would be bored with his company at the end of the day.

It had been after their match with England, that Akira had seen the dark-haired American in the lobby. He had tried to avoid meeting with him, but Mark had been the first to hail him over. Before long, both had begun a walk around the gardens and the following conversation ensued:

"Nice game you guys played today. Whoo...if I had been your opponent, I would have resigned by the time you played that nobi." He laughed at his own joke, only to notice that the Japanese boy had given him a wan smile in return. Mark quirked a brow and 'hmmed' softly.

"What's the matter, Touya?" he finally asked. "You look as if you have a lot on your mind." When the other boy gave no indication of having heard him, Mark raised his voice. "Hey...Touya! Snap out of it!"

"Eh? Oh...sorry...I…I didn't hear..."

"That's because you are spaced out. Geez...someone would think you had some hot babe waiting for you somewhere or something." At the light blush that dusted the shy boy's features, Mark smirked and leaned closer. "Eh? What's this? The great Akira Touya blushing over a girl? Hehe...so who is she, huh? Come on...tell me..."

"Ah...it's...I mean, it's not like that..."

"Don't lie to me now!" Mark continued in his teasing tone. "Talk to me, lover boy. Is she hot? What kind of a girl is she? Hmm? Does she like being on top or..."

"Yamero!" By this time, Akira's face was a bright crimson and his breathing had become irregular, as if he had run a marathon. Images of he and Shindo in bed together filled his mind and he squeezed his eyes shut willing them to go away. "It's...it's none of your business!" He finally blurted out, not caring for the curious gazes that were thrown their way.

Mark blinked at the outburst and shrugged good-naturedly. "Okay...I'll stop teasing you for now. But tell me...are you guys gonna go on a date? I mean, you don't know your way around the city and being the nice guy that I am, I'm willing to show you some of the best places around town. So, whaddaya say? Think of it as my apology to you for the way those guys acted the other night, hmm?"

Akira stared at the other boy in disbelief. This was too good to be true. He had finally found someone that could help him show Shindo the best time of his life!

"Arigato!" He exclaimed with a wide smile that sent Mark gasping at how breathtaking the boy looked. Kicking himself inwardly for even thinking about the Japanese boy in such a light, he grinned and patted the other boy's shoulder. "No problem, kiddo. Just meet me at..."

And so, here he was, ready and willing to hear any suggestions the older boy might have for him. He still wasn't sure of how he was going to tell Mark that the 'girl' was actually a _boy_, but he decided to keep the real identity a secret for the time being.

"Oops! Gotta make a quick stop at my father's school. I forgot to drop off the package he was supposed to have. You can come in if you like," he added with a smile. "I'm sure most of the students would love to meet you."

Akira really didn't want to meet any one right now. All he wanted to do was to find out the information and then make a beeline for the hotel to get his plans in gear, but it seemed like Mark was going to prolong this day for him.

With an inward sigh, he nodded slowly and stepped out of the car, staring rather impassively at the bright sign with the words 'Joe Jansen's School Of Go' written on it. The school was situated on the first level of a tall building, which housed other small businesses. Within the large glass windows, Akira could make out the groups of students playing amongst themselves. There seemed to be a youth section and an adult section and as soon as the two boys walked into the cozy atmosphere, it seemed like every one and every thing stopped.

All eyes were pinned on the now uncomfortable Akira and it took all of his strength not to bolt out of the building from the intense scrutiny. What was wrong with him? He was used to people gaping at him over the years. Why should this be any different? Was it because he was in an unfamiliar country?

"As I live and breathe..." came the awed whisper. "It's you, isn't it? It's really _you!_ Touya Akira, son of Touya Meijin, right? Right?"

This sent a ripple across the room as gasps and murmurs arose. Akira bowed politely at the plump, smiling-faced man that had called out his name. "Hai, I am. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Whoa! No, no, no! Please! The pleasure is all mine! Please have a seat!" The man pulled out a seat at an empty table and Akira's inner misery grew as he stared at the goban and stones glaring back at him. He just _knew_ what was coming next.

"You wouldn't mind playing one game with me now, would you? It would be an honor to play with a top level player like yourself."

Mark, who had left to drop the package at the back rooms, came back in to blink at the crowd of people now surrounding his companion. Cursing softly beneath his breath, he pushed his way through the throng and scowled at the two men now sitting at the table.

"Sheesh! Dad! I didn't bring him here to play a game! We have someplace to go now!"

Akira stared at the man across him, not really seeing any resemblance between father and son. The older man looked fairer, while Mark had a dark and exotic skin tone that he couldn't quite place. Smiling softly, he placed a hand on the agitated boy's. "It's okay, Mark. I can play for a while. I have nothing else to do this afternoon anyway."

Mark didn't look convinced. "Are you sure about this, Touya? I really didn't want this to happen..."

"It would have happened anyway," one of the students said with a light chuckle. "How can anyone pass up a chance to play Touya Akira, huh?"

This made every one laugh with mirth and joining them with a light giggle of his own, Akira Touya began the long Shidougo sessions with a rapt audience watching his every move in awe.

Three long hours late, found Akira chewing lightly on a sandwich, while watching Mark wolf down a plate of steak and fries in record time. They were now sitting in a bistro across the street and Touya could still see the Go school from his side of the window. Many of the students were still hovering around the table he had played Mark's father and he couldn't help chuckling as he watched the older man 'shoo' away anyone that dared to touch the game.

"My father is a nutcase," Mark said dryly as he finished down his beer. "He has a good heart, but he is crazy, you know?" He wiped a hand across his lips and grinned. "Not bad for a step dad, huh?"

"Oh? He isn't your real father then?"

"Nah, my real Mom and Dad were gypsies. You know...roaming around the place and all of that good stuff." He chewed absentmindedly on a fry and smirked. "My dad ran away and left me and my mom alone. I think I was around seven at the time. Anyhoo, Dad left and Mom and I moved down to the city and then we met...him." He pointed towards the Go school. "He is an awesome guy and my mom had every right to fall for him."

"Where...where is your mother now?" Akira asked softly, already guessing the answer he was about to receive.

"She's dead. She died of breast cancer about two years ago."

"Ah...I am sorry to hear that. You must have loved her very much."

"She was the best. Anyways..." he wiped his hands with the napkin and gave a teasing wink at the other boy. "About this big date of yours...I'm going to need details, if you want me to suggest some places for both of you to go to. So, first things first...what's her name?"

Akira's face flooded with color again as he choked on his sandwich. Reaching for his glass of milk, he gulped it down quickly and tried to gather his scattered wits about him.

"Wh...what...how is that important?" he asked a bit desperately.

Mark shrugged. "No reason. I just thought it would be nice to know what kind of a girl you were taking out, that's all. Unless, you don't really need my help after all..."

"Her name is Shin...Hi...Shihiru," came the flustered and quick answer.

"Ah, a Japanese babe, eh? Cool! Hmmm...now let's see...what's Shihiru like? Physically I mean?"

Akira blinked before squeaking out a bit breathlessly. This was turning out to be an inquisition. "Wha...what do you mean?"

"Well, does she have big boobs, or long legs or is she blonde or dark-haired? Dude, I need details."

Shindo with big boobs? That sent Akira slapping a hand over his mouth as he tried hard to stop the well of hysterical laughter that threatened to surface. Mark could only watch in confusion. "Well...didn't know I had become a comedian..."

"Gomen...gomen nasai...it's just that..." He composed himself quickly, although the smile remained on his features. "Shihiru is rather...flat-chested...and well built...for her size. She is athletic and you could say that she is...uh...blonde...ish."

"Blondish, hmm? So, what kind of a girl is she? Personality-wise? Is she outgoing? Or the more indoorsy type?"

"She is very outgoing."

"Nice. So, what kinds of things does she like?"

"Huh?"

"Uh...her likes? Her dislikes? What kinds of food does she like to eat? What kind of books does she like to read? Does she like loud or soft music? Is she into making out in parks and public places or is she shy about stuff like that...?" He stopped as he noticed the pained look on the other boy's face. "Aki...Akira? Is everything all right? I didn't mean to pry to much, but it's just that..."

The distraught boy got to his feet quickly. "I don't know. I don't know anything about her," he muttered softly, as he lowered his lashes in shame and dismay. "I have known him for over five years and yet, I don't know...anything..."

_Him? Did he just say him? Nah...probably my ears hearing things..._

"Akira..."

"Let's just go back, okay?"

Mark looked like he was about to protest, but it quickly died as he saw the passive look on the other's face. Sighing softly, he got to his feet. "Okay then. Give me a sec to pay the guy and I'll meet you by the car."

The drive was a silent one as both boys remained lost in their thoughts. Akira's gaze was fixed squarely on his palms and for a moment, Mark was sure that he had heard a sniffle. How could Touya know some girl for five years and yet know nothing about her at all? Was this the classic case of having a crush and not being able to do a thing about it? Unrequited love? What?

"Home sweet home," he announced softly as he stopped before the hotel.

Akira gave him a small smile. "Thank you for today. I am sorry if my behavior…"

Mark shook his head and peered at him in earnest. "Listen, Touya. I don't know what kind of a girl she is or what kind of relationship you guys have, but if my hunch is correct, I will say that you really, really like this girl, right?"

The heat flooded Akira's features again and he could only nod slowly. "I…I guess you could say that…"

"Then here's the deal. Go with your gut. Do what feels natural to you. Take her for a walk in the park. Go see a Broadway show…oh yeah…." He snapped his fingers. "And as you said, she is outdoorsy, right? I bet she would love going to that fair that's being held in the downtown area tomorrow. The sun's gonna be out and what better way to spend the day, right?"

Akira could feel his dampened spirits lift at the suggestions. Taking Mark's hand in a firm handshake, he widened his smile. "Hai. Thank you so very much for everything. I cannot thank you enough."

The American snickered and accepted the handshake. "See, we are not so bad after all. And you can thank me by making sure that she has a good time. Let me know how it goes, okay?"

"Unh…I will do that. Have a good evening, Mark."

"You too, Touya. You too…"

Waya shuffled out of the bathroom and rubbed his eyes wearily while stifling a small yawn at the same time. He hadn't slept much the last night and it all had to do with Ochi wishing to argue some dumb point about a move he had made during a match earlier in the week.

_Geez...that guy just doesn't know when to give up, does he? I bet if I had said that the earth was round, he would have tried to tell me otherwi...huh?_

He stopped in his tracks as he noticed the figure of his new rival pacing restlessly outside their bedroom door. For a moment, Waya had the familiar urge to tell the dark-haired boy to get the hell away from there, but then he saw the look of worry on the handsome features and decided otherwise.

"Oi...what do you think you are doing, Touya?" he asked with a lazy drawl as he leaned against a wall and folded his arms across his bare chest. It was relatively warm in the apartment, so the redhead had found no need to put his t-shirt on.

Akira started in surprise, barely able to stop his small gasp at the sight of the smirking boy standing a few feet from him. Suddenly feeling defensive, he clenched his fists and muttered harshly. "What's it to you, Waya?"

"Hello? You are standing in front of my bedroom. Is there something you wanted?" His smirk grew and Touya could feel his face reddening with growing embarrassment. He knew that Waya was quite aware of his inability to ask Shindo out properly and he had spent the better part of the evening pacing in front of the door, trying to figure out the right words to say to the blond.

"Kuso! You are going to make this very difficult for me, aren't you?" he finally grit out coldly.

Waya shrugged and gave an exaggerated yawn. "Your loss, Touya. You can stand here all night and look like a fool or you could just walk in there and tell him that you wish to take him out. I don't think he will kill you or anything."

"Who's killing who?"

Shindo had stuck his head out of the door and was now staring at the two boys in the hallway with a bewildered look on his face. He had been trying to study the kifu for the next match, but the rising voices had distracted him, causing him to leave the room to find out what the chaos was all about. "Well?" he asked again, with a slight hint of impatience in his voice.

Akira opened his mouth to say something, but Waya beat him to the punch. "I think Touya wanted to ask something of you, Shindo. Right, Touya?"

The dark-haired boy muttered a curse beneath his breath and took a much needed one at the same time. He really had not wanted the redhead to be around for this, but he guessed he had no choice but to go for it. Turning to look at Shindo, he reached into his pockets and pulled out the tickets.

"I...I have two tickets to a Broadway show...and I thought that you would...you would...I mean...if you would..."

The words seemed lodged in his throat and thinking that he was going to probably die of extreme humiliation, Shindo smiled softly and stepped out of the room completely. "If you would like me to come? Sure! It sounds like fun. Is Waya coming too?"

Waya chuckled and pushed himself away from the wall. "Nah...if you noticed, there are only two tickets and I don't think Touya needs me there...unless..." He draped an arm around the tense boy's shoulders and drawled casually into his ear. "Unless you wish it to be a three-way."

Akira gave a small cry and shoved the laughing redhead away from him in his distress. His cheeks flamed at the insinuation and he shook his head quickly as if trying to convince himself that such a naughty thought had never filled his mind before. "Kisama! Can't you just think of nothing else but..."

"Sex?" Waya finished with a quick glance at Shindo, who promptly turned his face away as Touya suddenly wished the ground would open and swallow him up. A tension filled silence followed by the movements of restless shuffling of feet made them all aware of just how much that simple word had sent their hormones into overdrive.

After what seemed like eons, it was Waya who finally found his voice first, although it sounded a bit strained. "I've...eh...got to go now...so...see you guys later..." He spun around quickly and walked away, barely giving the other boys a chance to reply.

Shindo tried to stifle a moan at the now painful ache in his groin. He had tried to forget the incident in the steam room and had patched things up with the redhead without talking about his 'blunder'. And now with the words 'three-way' and 'sex' hovering in the air...Shindo was sure that his nightly rituals were bound to take on a more intense feel tonight.

And wait a sec...had Touya just asked him out on a..._date_? There was something definitely wrong with this picture.

He stuck his hands into the pockets of his pants to hide his current state, idly noticing that Touya was doing the very same thing.

_Come to think of it...this kid needs a makeover. Kami...he dresses like he is a thirty year old!_

"So...what is this, Touya? Are you actually asking me to join you for something?"

Akira nodded slowly, his green eyes now blazing with an emotion that Shindo could not quite define. But he could feel it sear through his body like a jolt of electricity and he found himself almost feeling giddy with anticipation.

"We can spend the entire day together if you like."

"An entire day with you, Touya?" came the small slightly breathless question. _Can I survive without making a fool of myself again?_

The 6-Dan gave a small smile that sent Shindo's pulses racing, his beautiful green eyes seeming to twinkle with hints of promised mischief.

"Hai, Shindo," Akira replied softly as he raised his fingers to trace the parted lips of the stunned boy before him. "Just you... and me and an entire day to do whatever we want."


	12. Feelings Revealed

**Part Eleven:**

The rains had finally stopped overnight and the early morning sunlight filtering through the windows, gave the sign that it was bound to be a gorgeous day. The bustling sounds of New York City greeted the players as they all trudged towards the large hall where the meeting was to take place. It was, basically, a quick rundown of what the upcoming week held for the remaining countries. Lots were picked and each team was assigned to their opponents for the next match.

Dutifully, the boys sat at their designated table and paid attention to the speaker on the podium...well, at least two of them tried to pay as much as attention as possible. Ochi was attuned to every word as usual, while Waya was trying very hard not to fall asleep. On the other side of the coin, unlike his usual nature to focus on matters of such importance, Akira Touya found himself stealing almost shy glances at the boy he had to be with for the rest of the day. He clenched his hands into tight fists on his lap, and flushed at the small smile Shindo threw his way. He kicked himself inwardly for acting like such a fool. He couldn't keep blushing at every look that was given to him! Kami! He had known Shindo for..._forever_ and yet here he was acting as if they were meeting for the first time.

His body ached and trembled in anticipation. He was going to prove to Shindo that he was not boring. He wanted to show the blond that there was more to him than facing a Go board.

_I want you to see the real me, Shindo. How can I make you... nani?_

He bit hard on his lower lip to stifle the small yelp of surprise as he felt something brush against his inner thigh. For a second, his eyes remained trained on the speaker as he breathing began to quicken. He didn't dare look; for fear that the entire incident would prove to be just another figment of his imagination.

_Concentrate...concentrate...aah!_

He closed his eyes as he felt the light touch against his thigh again. No, he wasn't hallucinating. Someone was gently rubbing his foot against his and he didn't need to look to know who it was.

_What…what is he doing to me? Shin…Shindo…_

Stealing another glance, he was surprised to find the boy he suspected staring at the speaker as if nothing was happening. If it weren't for the small smile tugging at the sides of the blond's face, Akira would have sworn that perhaps Ogata had decided to get frisky with him.

He shuddered at the image.

Thankfully, the speaker wrapped up his speech and everyone began to talk amongst themselves, with the breakfast buffet now open to the guests to begin eating. Waya got to his feet quickly and began to make his way towards the table.

"Come on, Shindo. Let's go grab a bite to eat!"

Shindo grinned and stretched. "_Yooshii!_ I'm starving! I think I'm going to get me some…"

"No!"

Everyone at the table, including Waya blinked at the vehement cry. Akira felt the color flood to his cheeks and he made a mental note to be less noisy when trying to get Shindo's attention. The boy seemed to have the knack of bringing out his much louder side.

"I mean…we…we have to be somewhere soon, Shindo-kun," he muttered softly, giving a quick look to their sensei for approval. At Ogata's small nod, Akira got to his feet and placed a hand on Shindo's arm. And with a determination that was reminiscent of a younger Hikaru, the dark-haired boy tugged the surprised blond out of the hall and into the lobby.

"To…Touya? What the hell…?"

Akira stopped and pinned intense green eyes on the boy, even as his heart seemed to beat a mile-a-minute. "Today belongs to us, ne?"

Shindo blinked. "Yea…yeah…but don't we get to eat fir…?"

"Forget about the food. I'll treat you to something better than that thing they feed us in there."

Hikaru could only gawk in surprise at how adamant Akira sounded. He knew the 6-Dan was a forceful person when it came to anything concerning Go, but over something as trivial as breakfast…? He smiled and nodded in acceptance, before relaxing in Touya's firm hold.

"Alright. Let's go to this fantastic place you've found. And it had better be good, Touya or I swear I'm going to come back here and forget about the whole thing!"

For how long they were planning to walk, Shindo had no idea. His stomach was growling, his head was beginning to pound and it seemed like they had been walking around the entire city. The smells of fresh bread and coffee from the shops they passed only did more to aggravate the starving boy. And it wasn't as if they had spoken much to each other since they left the hotel. All in all, Shindo was gradually beginning to get irritated and the day hadn't even begun yet.

"Are we lost?!" he finally spat out coldly as they stopped at yet another 'Stop' sign. People were crowding around them and Shindo had to raise his voice to make himself heard.

Akira scowled and shook his head. "No, we are not! Just a little bit more and we'll be there. Be patient!" He too, was beginning to lose his patience. He hated to admit that he had lost his way a few miles back, but after noticing various landmarks that would lead him to his destination; he was finally on track. Kami, New York was worse than Tokyo.

Hikaru muttered something along the lines of 'Should have eaten back at the hotel' and only ended up getting a light cuff from his companion in response. He glared balefully at Akira's back, idly noticing the smooth curve of his rear end that looked so damn…

"Are you coming or not?!" Touya asked sharply from across the street.

_Kiiisama!_ "I'm coming!!!"

"Welcome to Ellen's Stardust Diner! And what can I get for you guys today?"

Akira rattled off his simple meal of waffles and cream with some coffee and then turned to look at Shindo, who was still ogling at the large toy train that was currently chugging around the diner's wall.

It looked as if they had been transported back in time and were now living in the fifties. Televisions scattered around the place showed classic black and white American comedies and even though it was just eight in the morning, the diner was already packed full with customers. Shindo would never have guessed that Akira would love to come to a place such as this.

_You are just full of surprises, aren't you, Touya? And that is why I lo…_

"You should order something now, Shindo," Touya said softly as he leaned across the table to get the other boy's attention. They had gotten a seat next to the window and they had a good view of the bustling activities outside.

Shindo started and blushed faintly before nodding. "Eh…I will have…eh…"

"Just get anything you want, Shindo," Touya said with a small, almost shy smile. "It's the least I can do for making you walk all this way with me."

Hikaru felt his heart skip a beat at the look and he blushed before pointing out the things he wanted. "It's…it's no problem really…"

_Kami knows I would gladly walk to the ends of the earth with you….just not before breakfast.  
_

"Whoo hooo! That was awesome, Touya!" Shindo gushed as they made their way out of the diner and back into the streets. Feeling very good now that he had some food in his stomach, he pounced on Akira and grinned like a maniac into the shocked face. "So, what are we doing next?"

"_Ano_…I thought we would…"

"I know what we could do!" Shindo interrupted loudly. "We should get you out of those clothes!"

Suddenly thankful that Shindo hadn't said that in English, Akira blushed furiously and slapped a hand over Hikaru's mouth. "_Urusai! _What the hell are you talking about?" he whispered harshly.

Shindo pulled the hand away and smirked wickedly. "Don't worry, Touya. I don't plan to strip you in the middle of the street. I just feel that you need to get out of those…stuffy clothes." He pointed at the buttoned blue oxford shirt and dark slacks. Although Akira looked good enough to eat, he still looked as if he were going for a business meeting instead of a day out on town. Compared to the sports jersey and dark loose jeans that Shindo had on…someone might have thought that Akira was a mature adult. (Which wouldn't be too far from the truth.)

Touya scoffed and began to walk away. "My clothes are fine, Shindo. If anything _you_ are the one that needs a…"

"There is this guy that owns this great clothing place and salon-like thing and he could outfit you, no problem! He was the one who gave me the clothes I'm wearing now!" Seeing that the other boy had no plans to listen to him, Shindo growled and ran in front to block his path.

"You said today was supposed to be for us, ne, Touya?" he asked with a light frown on his features.

"Yes, I did. And I have planned to take us to several…"

Shindo was already shaking his head. "No! No! No, Touya! When people go out together, they try to do things…_together_. Get it? You can't just dictate the entire day and follow it like you are keeping a damn timetable. Let's just try to have some fun, okay? Sooo…will you follow me to go see him? I promise you won't regret it."

Touya was about to say 'no', when he saw the pleading look on his companion's visage. Feeling his face (and somewhere else) heat up, he muttered out hastily, "Alright, alright. But this had better be good…"

_Anything to make you happy... _

And trying hard not to show his inner worry, Akira allowed himself to be led to Kami knows where.

At least Shindo had remembered the name of the store or they would have spent the better part of the morning searching the entire city for a Mr. Hansom. And as luck would have it, the kind-hearted owner had remembered Shindo and welcomed he and his friend with open arms…literally.

They were _still _trying to get over the exuberant hug.

Akira had to sit through lots of stares and blushes and downright open invitations from both women and men alike. It seemed like the gay community in New York had no worries letting everyone know the way they felt. It didn't take a genius to know that Mr. Hansom was just that way and the boys weren't sure if they ought to feel relived or worried about the situation.

But the older man made no passes at them. He was kind and willing to help them out with any problems they might have. And the big problem seemed to be getting Akira to try on any of the clothes that was brought out for him. For a quiet, unassuming boy, he could be quite stubborn.

Another long hour went by and Shindo felt like he was going to die of extreme boredom in the waiting room. He was just about to flip to another channel on the large TV screen, when the dressing room door creaked opened and a black boot was seen. Shindo held his breath and got to his feet.

"Touya?" he called out softly.

For a moment, no reply was heard before a muffled 'Shindo' filled the silence.

Hikaru blinked. Had they put him in a gas mask?

"Touya! Are you alrig…?" He gasped in shocked surprise as the longhaired boy stepped out completely from the room. Gone was the stuffy looking blue shirt he had on earlier, instead a white t-shirt covered with a black leather jacket, over dark blue jeans that fitted snugly to lean hips, outfitted the boy, whose gaze was hidden behind dark sunglasses. If it weren't for the telltale spots of color on his cheeks, Hikaru could have sworn that Touya was…

"You look…great!" he finally managed to blurt out as he began a slow and thorough look-over of his rival.

Akira's blush deepened and he shifted from one foot to the other. "St...stop doing that, Shindo." He had meant for that to come out as a command, but it had only managed to sound like a breathless whisper as his heart thudded painfully against his chest. There was a predatory glint in Shindo's eyes and Akira felt his insides melt with the look. His aggravation grew as Shindo suddenly wrapped strong arms around his waist and whispered against his ear.

"Ready to go now, Touya?"

_Oh God...what are you doing to me, Shindo?_

He closed his eyes and groaned weakly as he felt Shindo's lips caress his neck, leaving him shivering and having to press his back against the solid chest as if to steady himself from falling to the floor from weakened knees.

"Hmm...you smell great, Akira..."

"Hi...Hikaru..."

"Hmm?"

"We...we should be..."

A light cough sent both boys spinning out of each other's arms with guilty looks on their faces. Mr. Hansom chuckled and stepped into the room with several bags and a small red envelope. "Sorry to interrupt you boys, but I am guessing that you are pleased with the results, Shindo."

The blond nodded and grinned. "You did a great job as usual, sir. How much do we owe...?"

The man raised his hand and shook his head quickly. "No, no, please. You boys do not have to pay me anything. But...it would give me great pleasure if you could make it to my birthday party this weekend." He held out the envelope. "I am guessing that the competitions would have ended by Saturday evening, which should give you ample time to make it over to my place. Give it some thought and call the number on the envelope if you decide to come. A limousine will be ready to come pick you and your other friends up."

Akira frowned lightly and was about to decline the offer when Shindo piped up quickly. "Thank you so much, Mr. Hansom! We'll be there!"

"Wonderful! I look forward to seeing the champions on the big day. And now...you two run along and have some fun. I'll have a driver take your clothes to your hotel."

"I don't like him."

Shindo snorted and licked his chocolate and vanilla ice cream. "What's your problem, Touya? You saw how nice he was. Why the hell do you suspect him of everything?"

Akira shifted in his seat as he watched the pigeons fly down to the ground before him. It was turning out to be a beautiful day after all and the two boys were now sitting in the middle of the famous Central Park watching the sights and sounds of the people around them. His frown deepened as he reached into the small bag of bird food and held out his hand. Watching the birds fly down to nibble on them, he sighed softly.

"Shindo...he is...too old..."

Done with his treat, Hikaru threw the empty cone into a nearby trashcan and pouted. "He also gave us free stuff and was extremely nice to us. The least you can do is show up and if you don't want to stay then you can always go back to the hotel."

Why did it always seem as if they were arguing every other minute? One minute they were ready to fall into each other's arms, the next – some trivial thing would bring about another fallout. Akira lowered his lashes in dismay. He was beginning to think that the day was going to turn out to be like this. He was already failing miserably at making Shindo enjoy their _date_, but he still felt like he had to get his point across somehow.

"Shindo he is..." He stopped as he saw the small frown on the blond's face. And shaking his head, he got to his feet and began to walk away. "Let's go. We're going to miss the show."

Shindo watched the lowered head and the shuffling feet and he suddenly felt like a complete heel. Touya was really trying his best to make the day fun for him and here he was ruining it with his behavior. Jumping to his feet, he ran up to catch the other boy and with a winning smile, he wrapped his arm around Akira's and leaned his head upon the strong shoulder. Trying hard not to laugh at the surprised look that was thrown his way, he asked softly.

"So, what show are we going to see anyway?"

They ended up watching the Broadway production of the Lion King, which had both boys 'oohing' and 'aahing' at the sheer splendor of the colorful costumes and stage props. Each scene seemed to come to life and before long they were humming along with the audience as if they had been to the show all their life.

As they walked down the streets of Broadway, Shindo began to mimic some of the moves he had seen 'Simba the lion' do and Akira had to laugh as he watched the blond growl and shake his head around wildly.

"Grrrr! Watch out Akira Touya! I'm coming to eat you for lunch! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"

He made a move as if to pounce on the other boy and he found himself clutching air as Akira had stepped out of the way nimbly. Akira grinned and stuck out his tongue, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders as he let go of his inhibitions. It felt good to laugh this way and as he began to run down the street away from the chasing blond, he gave a small 'whoop' and picked up his speed.

"Do you want to ride the subway, Shindo??" he asked loudly as he stopped in front of the stairs that led to the underground stations. "We can get to the Fair much faster that...ooofff!"

"Gotcha!" Hikaru screamed as he wrapped his arms tightly around Akira's waist. "You can't escape me this time!"

Akira giggled and tried to struggle his way out of the embrace. "Look, Shindo! Isn't that the famous basketball player you like so much?"

"What? Who? Where?" The blond released him quickly, craning his neck around to see who the famous athlete could be, but only ended up cursing softly as he noticed Akira running down the stairs. "Touya! _Kisama!"_

The dark-haired boy managed to find the time to ask someone where the next train was going to and as soon as it came by, he dashed through the doors grinning widely as Shindo followed seconds later. The train was soon filled to capacity and so they had no other option but to stand side-by-side.

Both flushed and panting with their exertion, they gave each other silly grins as the little bumps and jolts the train sent them even closer to one another. Another small jolt had Akira resting his forehead against Shindo's and he could feel his heart pound faster as he stared into green eyes that were so much like his but yet so different. He felt as if he could drown in them and never wish to be rescued. As for Shindo, he let go of the overhead rung to wrap his arms around Akira's waist, giving a small sigh of content.

It would take a _major_ jolt to get him to release his hold on the boy he loved.

If the Japanese boys had thought that their annual festivals were loud and noisy, then this fair would have to be the grand daddy of all festivals. Not only was it loud and noisy, but it seemed as if the entire world had migrated to this particular area. There were many rides and booths opened up for games. Stalls and vendors filled with all sorts of confectionaries ranging from your simple sweets to more expensive ones lined the curbs. The smell of hotdogs and barbecue, roasted marshmallows and acorn, burgers and beer filled the air and this, of course, did more to remind Shindo that they had skipped lunch. The evening was beginning to fall and the fairgrounds were beginning to brighten with lights, giving the grounds an added air of mystery and excitement.

Meanwhile, Akira frowned as he lost again at the 'Shoot the Clown' booth.

"_Kuso,."_ h muttered angrily as he shelled out another five dollars for another go. He was determined to win this game no matter what it took. Shindo, who was in the nearby stall, was busy clobbering his competition in the 'Horse races'. His horse always managed to cross the finishing line before the others and after five wins and stuffed animals later, the owner of the stall politely asked him to leave. He willingly left and made his way over to Akira, grimacing as he watched the boy lose again.

"_Ano_...maybe we should play something else," Shindo said through the pile of teddy bears in his arms. Akira scowled and rose to his feet quickly, ignoring the whimpering cry of 'Aren't you going to help me?' from his companion. The blond pouted and stopped as he saw a group of children. Smiling warmly, he handed the stuffed animals to them and couldn't help chuckling at the loud squeals of delight it elicited.

"Touya! Wait up!" He ran towards the striding boy and got a quick puzzled glance in return.

"Where are the toys?" Akira asked softly.

Hikaru shrugged and leaned closer to give a small kiss on his cheek, still somewhat shy about giving it to him on the lips. "I want you to win something for me, Touya," he said softly. He had gotten the sense that Akira had been trying to win a game for him and Shindo decided that this was a good a chance as any. Seeing the small look of gratitude in Akira's eyes, he dutifully followed the longhaired boy towards another stall.

Two hotdogs, a can of Coke and two stuffed plushies later, found Akira and Shindo standing in line to join the Ferris wheel. Shindo was pouting, however, for he had wanted to go into the Haunted House attraction. Akira had not felt up to it. And then Shindo had tried to get into the House of Mirrors, but Akira had bailed out on that one too. It had taken all of Hikaru's strength not to lose his temper with the cool attitude. So, as a last resort, he suggested the Ferris wheel and once Akira opened his mouth to protest, Shindo sent him a chilling look that had sent his mouth clamming up immediately.

Finally, it got to their turn and they were ushered into their seats. Making sure their seat harnesses were in place, the slow ride to the top began with a little jolt that had Akira gasping softly. For a second, Shindo wasn't sure he had heard the small sound and he lifted up his hands to give a loud cry of excitement.

"We are going on the roller coaster next, Touya!!"

Akira paled considerably but remained silent. If that was what Shindo wanted...then who was he to refuse?

"Up! Up and away!!"

The stars had come out and it dusted the night sky with its beautiful sparkles. The wind whipped through their hair as they slowly rose to the zenith of the wheel and Hikaru could only gape at his surroundings in awe.

"It's beautiful...ne, Touya? Touya?"

He blinked as he finally took notice of his ashen companion. He cradled the pale face within his hands and stared into the worried green eyes before him. "Are you okay, Touya? Why didn't you tell me that you didn't like riding in these things?"

Akira smiled weakly and shook his head. "I...I just wanted you to enjoy yourself, Shindo-kun. It's just a little stomach queasiness. It will pass..."

"Bakayaro!" Shindo snapped angrily, even though his heart lurched at the selfless sacrifice. He rested his forehead against Akira's and caressed his lips gently with a thumb. "You stupid, stupid, stupid fool," he muttered softly as his eyes shimmered with an emotion that threatened to make him break down at any moment. "Why would you do such a thing?"

Akira lifted a hand to place upon Shindo's as he stared deeply into the twin pools of green heat. "Because I...I..."

_Tell him now!_

Shindo felt as if his heart had stopped as he waited with abated breath for the words from Touya's lips_. Please say it...for both of us..._

"I...I think...no...I am..." Akira took a much-needed breath before finishing hoarsely. "I lo...love you, Shindo Hikaru."

"Aki...Akira..." came the shaky whisper of disbelief, relief and pure joy.

But it seemed like Touya wasn't finished yet, for before Shindo could think, he had closed the distance between their lips with a feather light brush against them, almost afraid that this night would end in a 'puff' if he went any further. The blood rushed into Shindo's face as he parted his lips, willingly inviting the questing tongue further entrance into his mouth. He closed his eyes and slowly sank his hands into Akira's silken hair. Learning from his mistake with Waya, Shindo decided that he would not rush anything but allow Akira to do what he wanted with him.

With a low groan, Akira slid his hands down to Shindo's hips and held them tightly as his tongue grew more aggressive. Hikaru shivered at the silent show of strength and he could only whimper in pleasure as Akira kissed him with a passion that was a far cry from the shy one they had shared in the kitchen. He could feel his pants tightening and he pressed himself closer to Touya, hoping that he wouldn't be pushed away for showing the way he really felt. But from the light nudge against his thigh, Hikaru was more than aware of how much this was affecting Akira as well. He gave an inward cry of triumph as he wrapped his arms around the strong neck and practically straddled Akira's lap, never breaking the kiss as they both relished in each other's taste and feel.

Another sharp jolt from the wheel caused them to cry out softly and pull away from each other as they realized that the ride had come to an end all too soon. Both blushed self-consciously and they lowered their gaze as if caught doing something they shouldn't have.

"Hey, you guys coming out or what?"

They jumped to their feet and stepped out of the carriage at the curt question from the operator. With small sheepish smiles and their hands interlaced, Akira and Hikaru walked back slowly to the main grounds.

_So, this is what being in love feels like,_ Shindo thought with a sense of giddiness as Akira suddenly stopped.

They were in a relatively isolated area of the fair now and not many people wandered around these parts. Shindo found himself enclosed in the strong arms again and he put up no resistance as his lips were seized again in a more thorough and heart-stopping kiss. His body was practically aching to be fulfilled and he yearned to be complete with Akira in a way that was bound to change their lives forever.

Pulling away gently to get some air, Hikaru licked his lips and stared into glazed green eyes above him. "I...I...I love you too, Akira," he blurted out, his cheeks flaming as he finally said the words that he had longed to share.

The 6-Dan tightened his grip around Shindo's waist and buried his face against his neck. "Thank Kami. I thought that...that...you...you loved Waya more than I..."

At the mention of the redhead's name, Shindo stiffened and felt the color drain from his face.

_Waya...what about...Waya?_

Akira felt the change and lifted his head to stare into the pale visage. He could already sense the distress and he felt his heart clench in worry. "Shin...Shindo...you do love me...don't you?"

Hikaru nodded slowly. "I do, Touya...it's just that..."

Akira pulled away completely with a hurt but angry expression on his handsome features. "You love him too, right?"

"Akira..."

"You can't love two people at the same time, Shindo," he bit out coldly. "You just can't! You are going to have to make up your mind sooner or later. It's either him or me!"

Hikaru shivered and held his arms around his waist, shaking his head slowly as if trying to believe that this wasn't happening to him. "Please...don't make me choose...I..."

_Why can't I love you both?!_

But Akira's face was set in determination and as he spun around to make his way out of the grounds, he muttered out softly.

"It's either me or Waya, Shindo-kun. _You_ are going to have to _break_...someone's heart..."


	13. To Pay the Price

**Part Twelve:**

From the opened patio French doors, the cool breeze that drifted through was soothing and pleasing. Against the bare skin on the young man's chest, it felt like a blessing from the gods. It was late evening and the dying sunset cast its golden glow into the quiet room, giving a sense of serenity that was oddly placed in such a noisy city.

Still. Quiet. Peaceful.

If only his heart felt that way.

With a low groan, he threw an arm over his eyes, his free hand clutching a fistful of the bedspread he lay on. His mind was a whirl of jumbled images and thoughts that threatened to drive him crazy. A restless night spent tossing and turning had given his usually vivacious features, a pale and drawn look. He had avoided talking to his teammates throughout the day and had begged to be left alone as they left for a brief meeting with the other players.

_/ You are going to have to break someone's heart…/_

"Why, Touya?" he whispered achingly, swallowing the stubborn lump that had risen in his throat. He didn't want to cry again. He had spent all of last night sobbing himself softly to sleep, ignoring Waya's worried questions and the looks he had received as he stumbled out of bed this morning. He could have sworn that he had seen a look of guilt on Akira's face, but that must have been a figment of his imagination, for Touya had barely said a word or even looked at him. On the other hand, Hikaru had felt the growing anger within the redhead and with vague replies of 'I'm okay, really' to every time he was asked a question about his well being, he knew that Waya was bound to have a word or two with their captain.

_ What am I going to do, Sai? How can I choose between two people who mean so much to me? _

A reluctant tear slid down his cheek and he didn't bother wiping it away. There was no one here to see him, so there was no need to hide his anguish. The tears began to fall faster and harder. Years of pent-up frustrations all culminating into one big flood of turbulent emotions. He was an emotional wreck at this point and he wasn't sure he could go on in this state.

And for one brief moment, he entertained the thought of telling Ogata that he could no longer participate in the tournament.

The meeting was long and boring and Waya kept glancing at his watch and then towards the exits as if hoping someone or something would rescue him from this torture. Every other moment, he would spare a scathing glance at Touya, wondering why the stoic boy had made no attempts to speak to either he or Shindo since their return last night.

He grit his teeth and cursed beneath his breath. Akira must have said something to hurt Hikaru. There was no other way to explain it.

_Touya, you jerk! What have you done to him now?! I told you…_

His thoughts were broken as a round of applause broke out and clapping on autopilot, he rose to his feet as the others were and used the opportunity to lean closer to the long-haired boy.

"We need to talk outside…now!" came the gruff whisper that made Akira start for a moment.

"There is nothing to talk about," Akira replied through clenched teeth as he pretended to smile at the greetings that came his way.

Waya hissed angrily and muttered, while smiling to another group of admiring fans. "Oh, yes there is and you know it, Touya! What the hell did you say to Shindo yesterday? He is acting like a zombie and it's all your fault!"

For a moment, a flash of pain was seen in the dark green depths, but it was quickly replaced with one of passive indifference. "I don't know what you are talking about, Waya."

"_Kuso!_ Don't play dumb with me…"

"Aaaaaaah! There you are! I thought I would never get to see you guys today!"

The boys and Ogata gaped in surprise at the chubby man that walked up to them with an impossible grin on his features. It was Waya who managed to find his voice.

"Kura…Kurata-san? What the hell are you doing here?"

The reigning Honinbo titleholder pouted as if hurt and shrugged good-naturedly. "Why, I only came here to root for my favorite team! Everyone is cheering you boys back home!" He laughed heartily and slapped a hand behind Waya's back, almost sending the poor boy toppling to the ground. "Why, every Go salon has their TV stations tuned in to your matches, no matter how late they are. You boys are superstars now!" He turned to face the silent blond man with a sheepish grin. "Isn't that right, Ogata-sensei? You have a very good team this year. They should be able to make it to the finals and take the trophy from those other guys!"

A light puff from his cigarette and a wry grin completed the 'Hn', he got as a reply. But the Honinbo was not fazed by the cool response, after all, he was used to it by now. He gave an even wider grin and turned to face the stupefied boys again. He was about to say something, when his eyes scanned the trio before him with a purse of his lips.

"Hmm…is it just me or are we one team member too short?" he finally asked with a light scratch on his head. He glanced around the room expecting the missing person to pop out from the small groups of people. "Well…where is he?" He asked in bewilderment.

Waya gave a light snort and sat back down on the table. "Why don't you ask, Touya? He is the team _captain_ after all. He is responsible for the welfare of his teammates, aren't you, _Touya-kun?"_

The sarcasm wasn't lost on Akira, and for a brief moment gold and green clashed in silent duel. Clenching his hands into tight fists by his side, he turned to face the waiting man, and with a voice that did not betray the anger he was beginning to feel, he replied softly. "Shindo is not feeling too well today, Kurata-san…"

"No thanks to you," Waya muttered bitterly.

Akira closed his eyes and took a deep breath to control himself. He opened them again, noticing that Kurata was beginning to get a wind of what was going on. With a light frown, he finished up quickly. "He is just taking a rest in our hotel room. I have no doubt that he will be ready for the match against Korea tomorrow."

The older man 'hmmed' and nodded slowly. Even though his actions gave the perception that he was okay with Akira's answer, his eyes told a whole different story. He clearly did not buy it. There was something else going on that he was yet to find out. Amano-san was right. There was a tension in the air and even though the boys' earlier matches had been relatively easy, the tone of discord and disarray still hung in the air. It was as if any action was bound to destroy the fragile thread of unity they had at the moment.

The question was….was the thread still strong enough.

"Ah well, what can I say? I wish you guys the best of luck tomorrow…unless any of you wish to play a round with me today. It will give you good practice, ne? You wouldn't mind now, would you, Ogata-san?"

The blond shook his head. "I would recommend it. Since Shindo isn't feeling too well, Ochi might end up playing in his place against the Koreans. Hopefully, he should be well enough to face the Chinese…"

"If we make it that far," Kurata interrupted, only to receive cold looks from his audience. "Hehe…just kidding. Of course, you all are going to make it through! That's what I am here for! Now, who wants to practice with me?"

Waya mumbled something and turned away. Akira looked as if he was torn between agreeing and refusing, while Ochi…

"I will play with you," he finally said with a soft sigh as visible signs of relief flowed through Waya and Akira's bodies.

"Excellent! Here is my room number." He whipped out a pen from his pocket and reached for a paper napkin on the table. Scribbling a few words…which turned out to be 'The Greatest Honinbo Ever – Rm 1234' (This, of course, caused low groans of disbelief from the boys)…he handed the paper over to Ochi with a light chuckle. "Don't get lost now. I will be in my room by eight this evening…that is about two hours from now. So, come with your game face on! See you boys tomorrow!"

As soon as Kurata was out of sight, Waya got to his feet and began to tug Akira out of the room. And in a voice that left no room for arguments, he bit out coldly.

"We need to have that talk now!"

Dull green eyes stared at its reflection in the mirror.

_ Sai…I am doing the right thing…aren't I? _

Ochi stepped out of the elevator and walked down the empty hallway towards their room. Sliding the card through its slot, he pushed open the door and closed it with a light slam. He was going to have to get ready to face Kurata-san in an hour or so and he decided that a quick shower was in order. He took off his glasses and wiped them with his shirt before placing them back on with a heavy sigh.

Nobody else wants to do the dirty job. I have to be the one to do it.

_Bastards._

He walked into the kitchen and fixed himself a glass of orange juice. He wasn't stupid. He wasn't blind…much as the others tried to make him seem that way. For all his silence, Ochi was observant – very observant. He had noticed the way his teammates had been acting for the past week and a half. Their body languages, their softly hinted actions…it was enough to drive him mad.

And he knew what was wrong with Shindo too.

He just didn't care or want to know….right?

Since they didn't regard him as anything but an extra baggage, he would continue with his non-chalance and…

He blinked as he heard the low moan. His fingers tightening around the cold glass in his hands.

_It is nothing. It is none of my business. I have to go get ready for Kurata…_

"Mmmmmmm….."

The moan was louder and this time, Ochi could not continue to pretend that he hadn't heard it. Shindo was in some sort of pain and he was the only one around to help.

_Call an ambulance! Call the hotel's medical personnel or something!_

But he seemed frozen and unable to move. He could only stare owlishly at the bedroom door, as if afraid it was going to bite him if he made any movement.

"Shin…Shin…do…aaaaaaarghhh!"

He jumped back in terror as the bedroom door flew open. He flattened himself against the kitchen door as Shindo stomped into the kitchen and made a beeline for the fridge. Whimpering in fear, he watched as the boy pulled out the bottle of milk and poured a generous amount into a cup. With frightened eyes, he watched the liquid disappear in record time, mentally calculating how far it was from his position to the front door. If Shindo dared to attack him, he was going to scream like he had never screamed before.

Suddenly…

"I can't let them dictate who I choose to love."

Ochi swallowed tightly and kept his mouth shut. He was sure that Shindo hadn't even noticed he was in the kitchen. The blond just stood with his gaze lowered to the floor, jaw clenched in determination as he clenched his hands into fists.

"I won't let them ruin my life…Sai…"

Ochi's eyes widened. Sai? _Sai?!_ Wasn't Sai the one that had…?

"I am not going to break anyone's heart. If anything…they should be the ones begging me! Damn Touya… and Waya too! I came here to win a tournament, damn it!"

Ochi watched in growing bewilderment as Shindo seemed to be listening to someone. He gulped as he noticed the color drain from the blond's features. He had been discovered. He prepared himself a ready excuse, bracing himself for some kind of explosion of anger for being an eavesdropper.

Shindo pinned glazed green eyes on the pale and trembling boy in the room with him. He didn't seem to recognize Ochi for a moment, but with a light shake of his head, he managed a wan smile and small wave. "Hey…Ochi…"

"Hey…Shindo…" he replied shakily, wondering what was going to happen to him next.

An awkward silence fell for several minutes before Hikaru sighed and turned away. "How long have you been in here?"

"Long enough," came the rather snappish reply, which he quickly regretted as he noticed Shindo's shoulders stiffen. Straightening his glasses, he pushed himself away from the door and cleared his throat. "Look…I won't say anything…"

"I don't care anymore."

Ochi blinked. "What…what do you mean?"

Hikaru spun around to give a rather sickly smile to the stunned boy. "It means that I won't play anymore. You can become third board until the tournament is over, Ochi. You are as good as I am, if not better…"

Ochi couldn't believe his ears. Was Shindo Hikaru actually planning to quit playing in a tournament that they had worked so hard to get into? Was he really planning to throw months of preparation and dedication away for nothing? Ochi felt that he should have jumped at this opportunity. It was what he had always wanted, right? A chance to prove that he was worthy of being Touya's rival and now Shindo was offering up the succulent platter to him…just like that? But instead of feeling a glow of satisfaction, Ochi found himself trembling in anger.

"Are you out of your mind? You know as well as I do that you are the only one capable of beating the Koreans! What is wrong with you, Shindo?"

"I just can't deal with the pressure anymore…"

"The…pressure…"

"How can I concentrate with two boys who want me to make such a life altering decision? My mind can't deal with it anymore!"

Ochi scowled and with a boldness that seemed to come out from nowhere, he walked up to Shindo and gave him a hard slap on his cheek.

The sound of flesh against flesh filled the quiet apartment and for several minutes, only the sounds of heavy breathing disturbed the tension-filled silence. Shindo raised a hand to his burning cheek, eyes widened in disbelief. Had Ochi just…?

"Grow up already!" came the cold reprimand. Shindo had never seen such an angry look on the smaller boy's features and he could only hold his cheek and gape at him in awe. "All this time, I have had to watch and listen to you and your silly games with those two! And to be honest, I am sick of it! You love them both, right?"

Shindo lowered his gaze and muttered out a gruff 'yes', still wondering how in the world he was having such a conversation with someone like…_Ochi_.

"So, what the hell is your problem?"

"Touya wants me to choose, that's what! And I can't do it, Ochi!" He felt the ridiculous sting of tears begin to burn his eyes again and he struggled hard not to break down. "I can't make up my mind! I want them both and it doesn't seem…fair…"

"Touya asked you to choose?"

Shindo sniffled softly and nodded. "Yes…he said I would have to break someone's heart and…"

"That fool!"

Shindo blinked at the vehement curse. "Ochi…"

"Listen to me, Shindo," Ochi began with a sly look on his features. "I think I have something that you might do to set your mind at ease and to teach those boys a lesson."

"You…you do?"

Ochi's grin widened as he nodded. "Hai…now sit down and listen to me…"

Waya's scowl deepened as he kicked at the pebble on the ground absentmindedly. He glared at the boy leaning against the small wooden bridge, before shaking his head in disbelief.

"There are too many loopholes in your story, Touya," he finally said as he walked up to stand beside him. "You can't tell me that you only told him your feelings and then he started acting that way."

Akira ran fingers through his hair and turned away. The guilty feeling had refused to leave his mind and body, and closing his eyes, he tried to will away the look of pure anguish and dismay that had been on Shindo's face after he had given the ultimatum.

_/Please…please don't make me choose…/_

_What have I done? Can you ever forgive me, Shindo?_

Finally, in a small voice, he said without looking around. "He said that he loves you, Waya."

The red head had just been ready to get into another tirade on Akira's lack of interest, when the words sent him rooted to the earth in shock. Golden eyes widened, his heart rate quickening as he tried not to show how much those words had meant to him.

"Stop it, Touya," he croaked out harshly. He spun the boy around and pinned blazing and yet almost fearful eyes on the cool visage of his rival. "Stop messing around with me! Tell me the truth! What did he really say?!"

Akira lowered his lashes and frowned. "Exactly what I said, Waya. He told me that he loves you and then I…" He faltered as a pained look crossed his features.

Waya felt as if the world had stopped. Shindo loved him! Shindo actually, truly _loved _him! But then again…what was with Touya's behavior? Was he envious?

"He loves me too, Waya," Akira muttered, never lifting his gaze from the soft white petals of the roses that had fallen to the ground. "He is in love with both of us…"

There was more. Waya could sense that Touya was going to say something that was bound to break this wonderful illusion. Sinking his hands into the pockets of his pants, he held his breath and waited for the dark-haired boy to continue. After what seemed like eons, Akira finally blurted out miserably. "And I told him to choose between us. I told him that he couldn't have both of us and I forced him to…make up his mind…"

His voice trailed off as the evening wind picked up and blew across their motionless frames. Waya felt the chill seep through his bones as his jaw dropped in shock and disbelief.

"You….bastard…" he cried out weakly, before his voice began to rise in growing fury. "You stupid, foolish bastard! How could you say something like that?"

Akira winced inwardly, but stood his ground. He replied coldly, "I realize that I shouldn't have said something like that now! So stop over reacting! After all, you made him miserable as well!"

"_Kuso! Kuso! Kuso!"_ Waya paced like a caged animal along the sidewalk. He ran trembling fingers through his already mussed hair. His mind churned with conflicting emotions and thoughts. "We so screwed this up, Touya. You know that, don't you? We are going to have to come clean and tell him everything."

"I know…"

"Damn it! Why the hell…?"

"I said I was sorry, didn't I?"

"You don't tell me that! You have to tell Shindo that, _bakayaro_!"

Another tense silence fell, before Waya scoffed and turned on his heels.

"Where are you going to?" Akira asked as he began to follow the striding boy like a lost puppy.

"Where else?" came the snapped reply. "If we hope to have a good game and some peace of mind tomorrow, we are going to have to have a long talk with Shindo tonight, got it?"

Akira gave a small nod of acceptance, hoping that Shindo would even wish to look at his face in the first place. The closer they approached the hotel, the more his heart seemed to sink with despair. Shindo was _never_ going to forgive him. No matter how hard he tried to convince himself that he had only done it out of desperation. He stared at the redhead's back, reluctantly admiring the confident stride and power that seemed to exude from his body. Waya was more like Shindo than he cared to admit. Both were fiery and had a genuine love for life. Their camaraderie was something that Akira had always longed for and knowing that Shindo felt the very same emotion for the redhead sent a flare of jealousy that he couldn't control.

So lost was he in his thoughts that he gave a light grunt of surprise as he bumped into the solid strength of Waya's back. They were a few feet from the hotel and he could see that the red head had a look of worry on his visage as well.

_I know how you feel…Waya…we are both afraid of getting hurt…even when we hurt him more than we should have. _

And before he could stop himself, he reached for the other boy's hand and clasped it within his tightly. Waya gasped softly at the contact and could not stop the blush that dusted his cheeks.

"Touya…" He began in a shaky voice.

Akira leaned closer to place a quick and soft kiss on his lips before squeezing his hand gently in reassurance. "Don't worry, Waya-kun. I am sure we can make him see reason."

"I hope so, Touya. I really, _really_ hope so…"

The apartment seemed silent as the two boys walked in. They exchanged quick glances, each trying not to betray the uneasiness they felt inside. As they walked further into the room, the unmistakable sounds of light laughter reached their ears and this time, they exchanged bewildered looks. The laughing voices definitely belonged to Shindo and…_Ochi?_

Moving as if pushed by an invisible force, Waya and Akira made their way towards the sounds. It lead them straight to Akira and Ochi's bedroom and as they pushed the door open, the sight that met their widened gazes left them completely speechless and in a state of shock.

Sitting in the middle of Ochi's bed with a small goban between them and a game in progress, were Shindo and the bespectacled boy…and they seemed engrossed in their activities. All around them were clothes and items that belonged to the blond. It was as if Shindo was….

"Oh, hey guys!" He called out with a light wave and an impossible grin. This was not the Shindo they had left this morning. Where was the morose-looking boy that had hardly cracked a smile? Where were the red-rimmed eyes and the downcast gaze? Who was this stranger laughing with…_Ochi?!_

Waya managed to find his voice and he squeaked out breathlessly, "What…what the hell is going on here?"

Shindo shrugged and turned back to grin at his new friend. "Why don't you tell them Ochi-kun?" he asked carelessly as he placed another stone on the board.

The bespectacled boy gave a corresponding grin (which sent unconscious shudders through Waya and Akira) and took off his glasses. Wiping it carefully with his shirt, he spoke calmly and concisely, as if speaking to two-year-olds.

"In case you haven't figured it out by now, Shindo has decided to move in with me." He fixed his glasses back in place and pinned stern eyes on the flummoxed duo. "I am sorry to say this, Akira, but _you_ are going to have to move out."


	14. The Night Before

**Part Thirteen:**

The silence in the room was deafening. For long tension-filled minutes, Akira and Waya could only gape at the stern visage of Ochi in growing bewilderment. The entire situation was turning out to be quite ludicrous and both boys weren't sure of what to make of it.

Finally, Akira found his voice, albeit shaky. "You…you can't do that…"

"And who says I can't?" Ochi replied calmly as he turned back to face the game at hand. "I didn't want you as a roommate in the beginning, so I have every right to choose whom I want to be with…"

"In that case, I want Shindo back as my roommate!" Waya interrupted with an angry cry. He glared at the unconcerned blonde. "What the hell do you think you are doing, Shindo? Why are you moving in with him?!"

Unaware that they were now holding their breaths for the answer, Akira and Waya watched him place another stone on the goban before stretching languidly. Hikaru ran his fingers through his bleached locks and chuckled lightly. "I am moving in with him because I want to Waya-kun," he explained slowly. "We have both decided that we work well together and so…" He shrugged and left it at that. "Your turn, Ochi-kun."

Akira groaned weakly and closed his eyes, somehow hoping that this whole fiasco wasn't actually happening to him. It was bad enough that he had been kicked out of his own bedroom, but becoming roommates with Waya? That was definitely not going to happen. And if the longhaired boy thought he had his own problems, Waya was more vocal in announcing his displeasure at the way things were going.

"I don't want to be roommates with Touya, that was why I chose you, Shindo," he pleaded in a rather desperate tone. "There's…" He swallowed tightly and spared a glance at the miserable-looking captain before sighing heavily. "There are some things we need to talk about…Shindo…"

Hikaru's fingers tightened around the black stone he had brought out at the desperate plea. He grit his teeth and shook his head softly. Placing the stone on the goban, a bit too loudly, he folded his arms across his chest, hopelessly aware of how badly they were beginning to tremble. "There is nothing to talk about Waya," he muttered, his eyes still focused blindly on the arrangement of the black and white stones before him. "I have taken out all of my things, so there is no chance of me barging in to disrupt you two."

"Shindo…"

"Didn't you hear him?" Ochi cut in coldly. "He is staying. Now, please allow us to finish up our game."

Waya growled and bit back the insult he had been ready to haul out, when he felt the hand on his arm. He turned around to stare into the dull visage of Touya, and for a brief second, he felt a tug of sympathy for his rival.

"Let's just leave them, Waya," he said softly. "Will you help me pack up my things? They are not much…"

Waya opened his mouth to refuse but seeing Hikaru and Ochi playing as if nothing was happening forced him to purse his lips in bitterness. "Yeah…I'll help."

He held out the black traveling bag as Akira opened his drawers and closet to bring out his clothes. Quickly and methodically, he packed up his things, fighting the dull pain that filled his chest as he listened to the low mutters and light laughter from the bed. He deserved it, he kept telling himself. They _both_ deserved it. They had tried to win over a boy's heart and had ended up pushing him away. If only they had been more forthright in their admissions. But their pride had been at stake and no one had wanted to concede defeat or had wanted to be rejected.

Slamming his drawer shut as he brought out the last of his belongings, he gave a small nod to Waya and led the way out of the bedroom. The walk to his new sleeping quarters was a quiet one and Waya made no attempts to break the silence as he kicked the door open and promptly dumped the black bag onto Hikaru's former bed. Sure enough, the blond had cleared out every single trace of himself from the room. If it wasn't for the faint lingering scent of him, both boys could have sworn that only Waya had lived in the room for the past week on his own.

"His closet was that one," Waya pointed out morosely, while falling back on to his bed. He covered his eyes with an arm and sighed heavily. Listening to Akira unpack and move around the room was beginning to aggravate him to no end. There was something so _robotic_ about his movements. There was that feeling of being cooped up with a neat freak and after being used to Shindo's messy ways, Waya was having a very hard time getting used to Akira's neat lifestyle.

"Could you cut that out?" he muttered angrily as he peeked through his fingers to glare at the bewildered longhaired boy.

"Cut what out?"

"That!"

"What?"

Waya sat up and stomped towards the bemused boy. He pulled open the drawers and snorted at the tidy pile of under wears and t-shirts. They were folded so neatly that they looked as if they had come right out of the shop and had never been worn. "God, you are even worse than my mother," he muttered as he stomped towards the closet to eye the suits that were, naturally, hung perfectly. No crease…nothing.

Waya groaned and shook his head. "I don't think I can survive this…"

"Don't worry," Akira replied coldly as he placed his ties on another hanger. "We have only four more days and we should be out of each other's hair."

"I can't wait! You are already driving me nuts!"

Akira slammed the drawer shut and pinned cold eyes on his new roommate. "You are no prince either! So, stop being such a…a…an idiot!"

And with that weak insult, he stormed out of the room, making sure he banged the door shut behind him.

Ochi and Hikaru lifted their heads at the sounds and then eyed each other with knowing looks between them.

"Hehe…looks like the fireworks are already beginning, Shindo," Ochi snickered as he placed another stone on the goban.

Hikaru smiled softly, even though his heart seemed to race a mile a minute. "Ah…the fireworks are just beginning…"

Akira stared blindly at the TV screen, hardly hearing a thing from the comedy show that was being showed. It was called 'Friends' or something like that. How ironic. He had hoped to become friends with his teammates and had somehow ruined everything. But being with _Ochi?_ That notion had never crossed his mind before. He wondered how their newfound relationship had happened. He would never have sworn in a million years that Ochi Kousuke, whose dislike for Shindo was well known, would now end up being the one making him happy.

_What am I thinking? It's obvious that Shindo is just doing this to get us…jealous… _

"But what if he isn't?" he asked himself softly.

"What if who isn't what?"

He lifted his head sharply to stare at the red head, who sank down on the couch across him with a can of coke in his hands. He watched Waya open up the drink and raise it to his lips, eyes greedily watching the cold liquid slip through those full lips and down that long sinewy neck that had Akira swallowing tightly and licking his own lips unconsciously. With a low groan, he closed his eyes and forced himself to turn his attention back to the show at hand. This was no time to think of tasting the red head. They still couldn't stand being in each other's presence, so why in the world was he here?

"What do you want, Waya?" he muttered softly.

"We should be practicing for the match tomorrow," came the matter-of-fact reply. "We are dealing with the big fish now, so we shouldn't be slacking off. If Ogata-sensei came in here and found us doing nothing, he is going to have a major fit."

Akira knew that Waya was right and he nodded softly. "He hasn't given us the kifu for Hon Suyon yet. I have the others…"

"Don't worry," Waya interrupted with a winning grin. "I'll go get it from him myself."

And bounding to his feet, he gave a light salute to the stumped captain before making his way out of the apartment.

He had really done this to get some time to think on his own. The apartment was becoming stifling and his restlessness had only grown with each passing minute. He had tried to study on his own, but found that effort useless. Normally, he and Shindo would have played a practice round or discussed their different kifu, but not today and somehow, he couldn't see himself sitting down and talking about such a thing with Akira, no matter how 'friendly' they had become.

With a heavy sigh, he leaned against the wall in the empty corridor. He was directly across Ogata's room, but he didn't have the presence of mind to knock on the door. He really didn't want to see the older man at all.

But then again…it was kind of strange that the sensei had not brought the most important kifu to them yet.

"Hmph…probably just forgot. He has the tendency to do that sometimes…I think…"

Finally pushing himself away from the wall, he walked up to the door and knocked on it lightly.

Nothing.

He frowned and knocked a bit louder, this time pressing his ear against the door to find out if there was really an answer or not.

"Geez…he can't be asleep already, is he?" Waya glanced at his watch. It was only nine in the evening. He was sure that the teacher hadn't gone to bed yet.

"_Kuso_…" He knocked much louder this time, or rather banged on the door with his fists only to gasp as the door creaked open at his vehement action.

Waya held his hand in mid-air and blinked in surprise. The apartment looked dark and he could feel a trickle of fear creep down his spine. Swallowing tightly, he called out weakly. "Oga…Ogata-sensei? Are…are you in here?"

Maybe a maid was cleaning up his room…that would explain why his door was open. Oh, sure, Waya, a part of his mind taunted. That's why you see the sign showing that she is in the room, or her cart filled with cleaning things, or the fact that it's almost ten in the evening! Maids do not come in at this time!

"He…he…eh…he probably forgot to lock his door before going out, that's all," he convinced himself firmly as he stuck his head into the room. "Ogata sensei? Are you in here? I just wanted to find out if we could have the kifu for Hon Suyon…"

By this time, he had entered the room completely, but still stood close to the door in case someone or something attacked him. The main living room and hallway lights were off, but there was a stream of light that seemed to come from the bedroom area, which would mean that the older man was indeed there.

"Phew…he is probably taking a shower…."

He walked into the living room and tried to make out the papers that were littered all over the coffee table. There was a goban with an unfinished game in the middle of the room and several kifu surrounding it. Frowning lightly, Waya shifted through the yellow envelopes on the table, tossing out the ones for the previous countries that they had played already.

"Hmm…Germany…United States…no…France…no…Spain…no…._kuso_! Why does he smoke so much?"

The dull smell of the cancer-stick was in the air and try as much as he had to ignore it when he had come into the room, the stench only seemed to grow stronger with each passing second. With a light shake of his head, he rose to his feet and placed his hands on his hips in exasperation. It looked like the important kifu weren't in here after all. He would have to go into the den to search.

He moved towards the small room, only to wince as he discovered that it was locked. Twisting the knob over and over again, he cursed softly and stepped back. "Great. He locks up the most important place after all…"

"Wha…what are you looking for?"

"Aaaah!!" Waya spun around quickly, holding a hand to his pounding chest as he gaped at the bespectacled man leaning casually against the wall. His familiar white jacket was draped over an arm and his dark blue shirt was unbuttoned halfway revealing a well-built and tanned chest to his gaze. But it was the older man's face that had Waya in a slight panic. It looked flushed and those usually sharp eyes seemed to glint with a light that he was beginning to distrust.

And then there was that smell of liquor.

_Oh, crap! He's drunk! I have to get out of here…._

"Well…Yoshikata…what brings you to my room, hmm?"

That was a very good question. What was _he_ doing in Ogata's room? Why hadn't he just left once he had noticed the door open and no one in the room? Damn he and his curiosity!

"Anoo…I…I…didn't mean to…"

He was unconsciously moving backwards as Ogata had begun to walk slowly towards him. That glint in the older man's eyes seemed to grow and Waya could feel the cold drench of sweat begin to cover his body. This was so not good.

"Did you come to spy on me or something, Yoshikata?"

The red head blinked in confusion, panicking as his back came into contact with the solid strength of the wall behind him. If he had any plans to escape now, it would have to be done quickly or he would be…

"Aargh!" he gasped out weakly as found himself trapped by two strong arms around his head. He whimpered and tried to press himself into the wall as the older man leaned closer to him. The smell of alcohol was stronger and Waya squeezed his eyes shut as he fought against the feel of Ogata's fingers against his skin.

_No…this isn't happening. He is drunk. He doesn't know what he is doing!_

"Hmm….or did you finally come here to offer yourself to me, Yoshikata?" came the low drawl as the fingers trailed across the parted lips of the boy who was now beginning to breath in harsh gasps.

_Kuso! Kuso! Kuso!! Forgive me for what am I about to do, sensei. But you are not in your right mind!_

"Get…away…from…me!" With a grunt, he placed his hands against the strong chest and pushed. He barely waited to see where he had sent his mentor to, before spinning on his heels and running out of the room. His hands shook terribly as he tried to open the door to his own apartment. He was unaware of the slow trickle of tears that had begun to slide down his cheeks. And somehow, he knew that it just wasn't the incident with Ogata that had him in this state. The entire day had been a burst for him. From realizing that Shindo was in love with him, to not being able to tell the boy just how he felt in return, to losing him and then having to deal with a drunk that had almost taken him…the emotions churning within Waya at this point was too much to bear.

He finally managed to open the door and closing it behind him with a slam, he leaned against it and slowly sank to the floor. He raised his knees and buried his face within them, the tears falling faster as his body trembled in slight shock. He barely noticed the shadow that fell across him, or the pair of green eyes that were now filled with worries and concern.

Without making a sound, the figure sat down beside him, lending him silent comfort.

Shindo yawned and shuffled towards the bathroom, now dressed in only a pair of loose black pajamas bottoms. It was sometime after midnight and he was barely awake, but the urge to obey nature's call had taken over, hence his midnight stroll towards his destination.

He pushed open the door, not really bothering to put on the light as he went about his business. His eyes were still halfway closed and all that filled his mind were stone formations and possible moves to play against his opponents tomorrow.

He flushed the toilet and washed his hands quickly in the sink. Yawning again, he stumbled out of the bathroom and into the cozy confines of his bedroom.

"Mmmm…." came the low groan of appreciation as he pulled back the blanket and sank within the sheets. As he snuggled within the warm cloth, he idly wondered when his bed had suddenly become so small, and why something seemed to be breathing right next to him.

Had Waya sleepwalked into his bed…_again?_

"Waya…" he muttered with half-irritation. "Stop coming to my bed…"

He spun around to push the boy off, only to open weary eyes to stare into familiar green ones that were staring at him with equal confusion and weariness.

"You are not Waya," came the, rather, dumb observation.

"I should hope not," Akira replied shakily, his heart pounding as he realized that fantasy number two was actually happening. "You are in my bed, Shindo."

_And you can stay for as long as you like._

Shindo blinked. "Your bed? This is my…"

"Remember you _left?_" came the familiar dry tone of Waya as he sat up on his bed to rub his eyes wearily. "This isn't your bedroom anymore."

Shindo felt his face heating up with embarrassment at his mistake and with a mumbled 'Sorry, I didn't realize…', he struggled to get off the bed, only to gasp as he watched the redhead move off his bed to join them in Akira's.

Now, it was Akira and Shindo turning a bright beet red as Waya snickered at their expressions. "What's the matter, guys?" he asked in a teasing tone as golden depths flickered with mischief.

"Haven't you ever heard of a three-some before?"


	15. In the Heat Of The Night

**Chapter Fourteen:**

"Haven't you ever heard of a three-some before?"

Akira and Shindo sucked in harsh breaths, their faces flushing with heat at the wicked glint in the golden depths before them. A small noise that sounded like a whimper escaped Akira's lips, while Shindo remained gawking at Waya in growing disbelief.

Was this the same Waya that had pushed him away back in the steam room when he had tried to get closer to him? Wasn't this the same Waya that had told him off coldly and had made him feel so humiliated and embarrassed at his blunder? What in the world did he think he was planning to do now? There was no way in hell that Shindo planned on remaining in the bed with the two boys and with a small huff, he scowled and bit back angrily.

"What the hell do you think you are doing, Waya? This is no time to…mmmmmpphfff!"

The taller boy's lips descended on Shindo's, effectively cutting off any other retort he would have made. Hikaru's eyes widened in shock, unable to do much as he remained passive in the kiss. An inner struggle to push the redhead away but yet to give in to the wonderful sensation caused him to clench his hands into tight fists upon the cotton sheets.

But Waya didn't seem to care or notice Shindo's turmoil as he closed his eyes to savor the taste of the lips he had long been denied. His hands slid up the sheets to capture Hikaru's, clasping them tightly within his grip as he moaned softly in pleasure.

Akira could only watch the two boys engaged in the act, his body growing hotter with each passing second as Hikaru unwillingly groaned and parted his lips to accept Waya's persistent tongue. He whimpered and clamped his thighs together, suddenly feeling as if the bed was now a bit too small for all three of them.

_I have to…I have to get out of here…_

But the temptation to stay and watch coupled with the dull feeling of jealousy, had him turning back to watch again. By this time, Shindo had his hands within Waya's red locks and was now so into the kiss that it looked as if they were both about to kick him right out of the bed. With a low growl, he closed his eyes and turned away only to gasp as he felt Waya's lips against his ear.

"And where do you think you're going?" came the husky whisper that had the 6-Dan shivering from head to toe. He tried to gain some semblance of control, hopelessly aware that his face was bright red at this point.

"Anoo…I was just…just…"

"Running away?" Waya teased as he nipped the perfect-shaped ear gently. He pushed back Akira to the bed, smirking at the vulnerable and stunned look on the usually stoic features.

Hikaru licked his lips and moved closer to his long-time rival. There was now a similar wicked glint in his eyes that had Akira trembling in anticipation and slight panic. The two boys were now staring at him as if he were some kind of prey and the urge to bolt out of the room was beginning to get stronger again.

"Hmm…what do you think we should do with him, Shindo?" The redhead asked as he reached forward to unbutton the white pajamas top on Akira's body.

"Whatever you do is fine with me, Waya-kun," Hikaru drawled lazily. He began to trail soft kisses along Akira's cheeks and jaw, his own hand sliding down to knead the hard flesh of the toned torso that was now exposed. He tried to remember exactly why he was still in this room with the two boys that had made his life a living hell for the past few days. He could vaguely remember some plan that he and Ochi had hatched out to make Waya and Akira jealous, but somehow…all of that was secondary to the new sensations that coursed through his body. The sight, sound and smell of the two boys were driving him to the brink of madness. It was a heady, intoxicating feeling that he had never experienced before.

_/How can I be in love with two people? Simple…I need them both…/_

He cupped Akira's cheek and forced their gazes to meet. Molten green stared into shimmering ones and for an instant it felt as if time stopped.

"Shin…Shindo…" came the weak gasp, which quickly turned into a small cry as he felt the teasing tongue trail down his chest and stomach. Akira squeezed his eyes shut and arched into it, his body trembling in excitement. Waya's lips were like magic on his fevered flesh and Hikaru wasn't helping matters as he captured Akira's in a kiss that caused all rational thought to disappear.

With arms that shook with the intensity of the emotions that seared through him, Akira wrapped his arms around Shindo's neck, drawing him deeper into their communion, while his free hand sank into the red locks that were heading lower and lower and…

"Aaaah!!" He jerked and tried to close his legs together as he realized what Waya was about to do. With eyes widened in slight confusion and panic, he gasped out in a shaky voice. "What…what are you…_doing?!"_

Waya's face was now a dull hue of red, but he didn't waver in his determination to bring the utmost pleasure to the two boys at his disposal. Since his cold feet experience in the steam room, he had done a lot of thinking and had come to the conclusion that running away from the inevitable was not going to cut it. He knew that they were all virgins and had never done this before, so being the one to instigate it was all the more reason for him to make sure it went perfectly.

"It doesn't hurt, Touya," he cajoled softly. "And I promise you're going to like it. Just imagine that you are…eh…doingittoyourself," he finished quickly.

Akira suddenly wished the ground would open and swallow him whole. He sputtered indignantly as he tried to stop the small whimpers of pleasure that escaped him as Waya had begun to do…_that_… again. "Ku…Kuso! I don't…don't…aaaah…don't…"

"Don't do yourself, Touya?" Shindo snickered as his lips began to move down Touya's chest. "Stop lying and enjoy it…why don't you try loosening up for once?"

Akira didn't have the time to get angry at Hikaru's taunt for another choked cry was ripped from his throat as Waya intensified his actions. He squeezed his eyes shut, his face now bathed in the soft sheen of sweat as the indescribable feeling of completion sent his body spasming uncontrollably. This was what usually happened to him when he was alone, but knowing that the objects of his desires were right beside him to witness it, only sent Akira into a state of near unconsciousness. He fell back limply to the bed and tried to control his erratic breathing as Waya sat up with a look of satisfaction on his features.

"Mmm…that was good," he said with a light chuckle. "You next, Shindo." He smirked and made an attempt to reach for the blond, only to find himself lying on the bed next to Akira. He blinked in confusion and tried hard to hide the blush that stained his cheeks.

"Shin…Shindo?? What…?"

Shindo grinned mischievously and shook his head. "What's the matter, Waya? Don't you want to get a taste of your own medicine?"

"Na…nani? Damn it…Shindo! You didn't have to rip my pjs off! Those were just bought last week!!"

"God, you are such a _girl,_ Waya," Shindo teased before silencing Waya's protest by doing the exact thing he had done to Touya. The redhead's gasp sent Akira out of his dazed stupor and he blinked lazily at the two heaving boys beside him. So, this was what he must have looked like, he thought as his gaze fell on Waya's flushed features. With a wicked smile coming to his lips, he sat up and quickly straddled the redhead's waist, eyes lighting up with mischief as he watched the golden depths widen at the sudden turn of events.

"Tou…Touya….oooh….God…" His head fell back, mouth opening in a soundless scream as the captain began to trail hungry kisses down his face, neck and down to his chest. He moved back up quickly again, this time to claim Waya's lips in a hot kiss. He could taste himself within the other's mouth and this caused him to blush darkly as he wondered if would get an opportunity to do such a thing.

Tongues clashed in heated battle, hands clasped tightly as if fighting for supremacy. Waya's cry was lost within Akira's mouth as he exploded within Hikaru's.

Releasing him with a small smile, Shindo wiped his lips with the back of his hand. He moved to lie beside the redhead, darkened green depths watching the two boys continue as if he wasn't even there. Akira finally let Waya go with a small sigh, leaving him panting for breath on the bed. Seeing that he had managed to achieve something with Waya, he turned his attention to the blond beside them and swiftly moved to straddle Hikaru's waist.

Shindo made no protest whatsoever as he parted his lips to welcome Akira's. It was slow and thorough, each taking the time to explore every inch of each other. Akira released the swollen lips reluctantly, but with a small smile, he gave Waya access to aid in the removal of Shindo's pants. With that obstacle gone, Akira slid lower and almost lost his nerve as he came closer to what he had only imagined for years.

Waya snickered as he began to kiss Hikaru softly. "It doesn't bite, Touya," he taunted.

The 6-Dan flushed and retorted a bit too defensively, "I haven't done this before, you know!"

"Well, we haven't either, but you don't see us complaining about it, do you?!" Waya shouted back. "If you aren't going to do it, then I will!"

Hikaru darted glances from one furious gaze to the other, wondering why in Kami's name they were now about to fight over him in bed as well. He was beginning to ache really badly and if no one was willing to help him out…

"Fine…" Akira muttered with a small scowl. "I'll do it…"

Waya snorted and nuzzled Shindo's neck gently. "You don't have to act like it's an execution."

Akira was becoming really hot and bothered at this point. He didn't want to disappoint Shindo or make Waya laugh at him and he was suddenly so shy about the entire thing, it threatened to make him want to quit the entire process. He gasped softly as he felt the fingers within his hair. Lifting his gaze, he stared into smiling green eyes and he felt his heart rate quicken at the sight.

_Kami…do you even realize how beautiful you really are, Shindo?_

"It's okay, Touya," Shindo began in a reassuring tone. "You don't have to. I wouldn't mind really….aaaaaahh!"

He arched off the bed, almost throwing Waya off as Akira went to work on him. He couldn't believe that the shy, stoic and frigid boy was capable of doing such things with his mouth. He could already feel the heat rushing down to the pit of his stomach. He knew without a doubt that he wasn't going to last very long.

And he didn't. In mere seconds, it seemed, he was lying back on the bed, spent and exhausted beyond his wildest imagination. Both he and Waya blinked at Akira in disbelief as he sat up to wipe his mouth with a look of smug satisfaction on his features.

"Kiiiisama…you bastard!" Waya cried out as he dove straight for the smirking boy's neck. He missed…_badly_, for Touya moved out of the way quickly, which in turn sent Waya sprawling to the floor in a heap.

Hikaru and Akira burst out laughing at their sputtering teammate and before they knew it, a pillow seemed to fly out from nowhere to hit them squarely on the face.

"Oh, no you did not just throw a pillow at me, Waya!" Hikaru cried out with a look of wicked delight on his features. He reached for one on Akira's bed and urging their captain to join him, all three were soon running around the room, hitting each other with the stuffed pillows.

Happy laughter filled the air as Waya tackled Shindo who tackled Akira, which made them all fall into a pile on the floor. In between giggles and teasing kisses, the boys touched each other wherever possible…until…

"Waya!" Shindo cried out as he scurried away with an embarrassed look on his visage. He was blushing more than ever as he pressed himself against a wall and raised his legs up to his chest. "What…what was _that_ for?" he asked in a breathless whimper.

Akira looked blank at the sudden turn of events as he crawled on all fours towards Shindo. Stopping before him, he turned back to face Waya, who was staring at the floor blindly. "What's the matter?" he asked as he gave each boy furtive glances. "Is something wrong?"

No one answered him for several moments before the redhead croaked out weakly.

"Don't you…don't you want to go all the way?"

Akira blinked. _All…the…way??_ What in the world was Waya talking about…?

His eyes widened as it suddenly dawned on him. Had Waya tried to…?

"I…I'm scared, Waya," Hikaru muttered softly as he buried his face within his arms. "I…haven't…we…how…?"

Waya moved closer to the other two, still not able to look at them directly. "I'm scared too, Shindo…Touya…but if you don't want to…we don't have to…" He trailed off, too embarrassed to continue, even as he felt his heart breaking. What if he was rejected? What if both of them didn't want to take their relationship to that level? What _kind_ of a relationship _did_ they have in the first place?

A thick silence fell and only the sounds of the ticking clock signaling the beginning of a new hour filled the void. Suddenly, Akira whispered softly,

"I…I want to."

Hikaru and Waya lifted their heads sharply to gape at him in disbelief. Although the 6-Dan's face was a bright hue of red, his piercing green depths were filled with determination and an emotion that they couldn't quite define. But they could feel it. There was something there. Something warm…yet hot…full of life and yet gentle with comfort.

And in a voice that was a bit louder and steadier, he said it again.

"I _want_ to, Waya…Shindo. If…if you will…have me…"

"Touya…" came the simultaneous whispers of awe. And before they could say anything else, Akira had his arms wrapped tightly around their necks as he cradled them gently to his chest.

"Not another word," he whispered huskily. "There are no need for words now…"

And with hearts pounding and racing with eagerness, anticipation and discovery, three hearts finally found…

… one beat.


	16. The Price we Pay

**Chapter Fifteen:**

_I am so happy today…Sai. I cannot even begin to explain the way I feel inside right now. My heart seems to beat with a rhythm all of its own - a beat that sounds like that of a joy and completeness that I can never get enough of. I thought that I could never feel this way for any other person…not ever. I thought I would have to live the rest of my life hiding my true feelings from them. But no more, Sai. I no longer have to remain in the shadows. I no longer have to keep my thoughts and dreams from them. Hai…I love them both, Sai…and nothing can ever change that…_

"Oi, Hikaru! We're going to be late! Hurry up already!"

"Coming, Waya!"

_Well…looks like it's time to get the show on the road, Sai. I'm a bit nervous about the match today. It's against a formidable team after all. But I have a good feeling about today. I know we can win. We have to! Everyone back home is depending on us…._

"Shiiiiiiiiiiinddooooo!"

"Coming! Coming! Just need to fix up my tie!"

_I love them both, Sai. And nothing can ever change that…  
_

He closed his eyes and exhaled softly, his mind churning with images of stone placements and possible movements from his opponent – only to find it replaced with the images of the flushed and smiling visage of a certain blond and a redhead. This caused him to shake his head lightly and to scowl at his lack of concentration. But try as hard as he might, he could not shake off the warm feeling of completion and satisfaction that filled his being as he stood waiting in the lobby for said boys to come out of the apartment.

The events of their activities last night were still fresh in his memory. Every touch, taste, sound and smell invaded his senses causing him to groan softly and to stuff his hands into the pockets of his dark pants. A light cough from across the hall had him opening his eyes quickly with a guilty flush on his cheeks as he stared at the unblinking bespectacled boy before him.

In his daydream, he had completely forgotten that he had been waiting out here with his teammate. He idly wondered what Ochi was thinking...not that he cared either way.

"So, you managed to get him, ne?" came the dry comment, which seemed to echo and bounce off the walls of the silent hallway.

Akira made a small sound that sounded eerily like a cough before shaking his head and turning his gaze to the large flowerpots that decorated the corridor.

"What...what are you talking about?" he asked quietly, hands tightening into fists within his pockets. Where in Kami's name were Waya and Hikaru? He didn't think he could deal with Ochi's twenty questions right now.

Ochi sighed heavily and pushed his glasses a bit higher up the bridge of his nose. "I am saying that you and Waya think you have won him over, right? However, I beg to differ, Touya."

This comment got the dark-haired boy's attention and with a light frown on his features, he spun back to face Ochi. "What on earth would make you say that?" he asked in a tone that was filled with slight panic and an underlying current of worry.

Ochi shrugged lightly, his cold gaze not wavering from the 6-Dan's handsome face.

"Shindo was in a fragile state yesterday," he said simply.

"Fra...gile..."

"You both made him an emotional wreck the other day and naturally he came to me for solace."

"We apologized..."

"Like that's supposed to help him in anyway," Ochi retorted coldly. His eyes had narrowed into thin slits of disdain as he continued. "Do you think that sleeping with him would make things any better? And I would bet that he was left with no option last night either. I would bet that he was taken against his will..."

"_Urusai!"_ Akira bellowed in growing fury at the insinuation. "We did not take him against his will! Are you trying to say that we...we..."

Ochi quirked a brow and finished flatly. "_Raped _him? Hai, I think so."

Akira could feel the color drain from his face as he listened to the condemning words. No...no way in hell. What they had done last night was a mutual thing. They had enjoyed it. Hadn't they? It had been a beautiful and wonderful thing, hadn't it? No one had gotten hurt...no one had complained. How could Ochi even suggest a thing like that?

"How dare you. How dare you say that we..."

"It doesn't matter now," Ochi replied with a wave of dismissal. "At least...it shouldn't matter until someone questions Shindo about the bruises on his wrists during the press conference today. Or about...this..."

He tossed a large yellow envelope that he had been hiding behind his back towards Akira, who caught it with hands that trembled slightly.

"What's...what's this?" he croaked weakly, feeling the fear slowly creep up his spine.

"This was left in front of the apartment door this morning. Luckily, I was up first and managed to pick it up before Ogata sensei could come by. Apparently, someone wants you all to get into some kind of scandal."

Akira could only gape at Ochi with incredulity. The envelope remained unopened in his hands, his mind racing a mile-a-minute as he tried to deduce any sort of clue as to what could be in it. And from the other boy's tone, it looked as if it wasn't going to be good.

"Go on," Ochi cajoled with a nod in his direction. "Open it. It's not going to open by itself you know."

The 6-Dan gave a light nod as he began to release the fastening on it. He hoped and prayed that it wouldn't be anything that he would have to be ashamed of for the rest of his life. Kami! He couldn't even begin to imagine what could possibly be in there.

_Scandal. Someone wants to get us into some sort of scandal...but who? And why? _

Finally opened, he slipped his fingers into it and from the feel of whatever was inside, he could tell that they were photographs.

_ Scandal! _His mind screamed. _ Photographs...what have I done to be so ashamed of?_

He was just about to pull one of them out to see, when a familiar loud and cheerful voice caused him to close it back quickly and to hide it behind his back.

"Ohayo, Touya-sensei! Ochi-kun! Are you both ready to kick some Korean butt today? Hahaha!"

Akira gave a wan smile and bowed politely as he faced the jovial Kurata. Clad in his trademark white shirt and dark pants...and his fan with the words 'Honinbo Number One' blazoned brightly on it, the older man grinned widely and stopped before them. "Eh? What's with the gloomy looks? Aren't you guys confident in your ability to defeat them? You shouldn't be too worried. Why just the other day..."

Akira tuned the long speech out as his fingers tightened around the damned object. He had to find out what was in this before Waya or Hikaru came out. He had to discover for himself just what was in store for he and his...

_Lovers... _

Blushing a bright beet red at the word, he coughed lightly and shuffled his feet.

_I have to get out of here...now!_

The sound of the elevator opening up again, had the trio spinning around sharply. Ogata came strolling casually towards them with a light frown of disapproval on his features.

"Ohayo, Ogata-sensei! Fine morning for you to..."

"Kurata-san," came the calm reply, as he acknowledged the other man's presence with a light nod. "Shouldn't you be in the lounge downstairs? I would like to have a word with the boys if I may."

Kurata had the grace to blush. "Ah...of course, of course. I will leave you all to get the game plans rolling along. Do not hesitate to ask for my advice or opinion on anything, okay? Remember, Japan is rooting for you all. Good luck!"

They waited for the doors to close behind Kurata, before each gave an inward sigh of relief. Ochi couldn't be sure, but he sensed that there was something wrong with their sensei. The older man looked...distracted, and it seemed like he couldn't maintain eye contact with them for long periods.

_He can't be nervous about the match today...can he? It's not as if he's the one that's_ _playing. _He stole a glance at Akira and noticed that his captain looked just as preoccupied. _Hmm...at this rate, we might have our hands full with the match today. Perhaps I shouldn't have shown him the envelope so early. Now, it's going to be on his mind all day. Feh...like I care. He deserves it. That will teach him not to mess around with other people's emotions._

"Where are Shindo and Waya?" Ogata asked quietly...to no one in particular.

When Akira showed no signs of responding, Ochi sighed and replied. "They are still in the apartment, sensei. Would you like me to call them out for you?"

"No...no need..."

For the life of him, Ogata could not understand the reason for his _nervousness _this morning. It wasn't about the match, that much he knew. He had faith in his boys' ability to take care of themselves. They had grown so much over the years and playing against the Korean team shouldn't be too much of a hurdle. It wasn't going to be easy, but they had no plans to be walkovers either.

It was his activities yesterday that had him concerned. The last thing he had remembered was being with some of his long time American friends. They had gone to a nearby club to celebrate being with each other after so many years (something Ogata wouldn't have done under normal circumstances. He didn't like to party the night before a big game, especially one so critical). However, one thing had led to another and the next thing he knew...

"Are you alright, Ogata-sensei?" Akira asked with a wary look as he noticed the older man rub his forehead gently. "You look a bit pale."

"I am...I am fi..."

"And then he says 'You are sitting on my pizza! Get the hell up!'" The following sounds of laughter from Waya and Shindo interrupted the tense silence as the two boys stepped out of the apartment and into the hallway.

Akira felt his heart beat quicken at the sight of them and the insane urge to run into their arms and to clasp them tightly to him, never wanting to let go, overwhelmed him so much that he had to take a step backwards and turn his gaze away quickly. He couldn't afford to let any one else know that they were now that intimate. If word got out...

_Photographs! The scandal! Oh no! Kami, please don't let it be what I think it is!_

Waya ruffled Hikaru's hair and was just about to say something else, when his peripheral vision caught the three men waiting for them. The loud greeting he had reserved for Akira died on his lips as he stared into the blank gaze of Ogata. The smile on his lips vanished just as quickly as his body stiffened. Shindo who had been ready to grab the red head in a playful headlock, blinked at the sudden change in body language.

"Waya? Is everything alright...oh! Ohayo, Ogata-sensei," he greeted with a light bow and a happy smile. "Aki...eh...Touya..." He corrected himself quickly, trying unsuccessfully to hide the dull blush that filled his cheeks. They had all agreed to start calling each other by the first names now, since they had begun a new and more intimate part of their relationship. Akira responded with a blush of his own as he managed a small smile. Satisfied with that, Shindo turned to face Ochi, only to come face-to-face with a cold stare that sent a jolt of guilt down his spine.

"Ochi-kun..."

"Good morning to you too, Shindo. I hope you had a good night's rest."

The sarcasm was not lost on the three boys as their faces darkened with embarrassment, but either Ogata didn't notice or pretended not to notice for he interrupted curtly.

"Let us go through a quick rundown of what we can expect from the other team today, shall we?"

Waya tried to focus on the words that came out from the teacher's lips. But as hard as he tried, all that seemed to come to mind was the image of almost being taken by the older man last night. He had kept trying to tell himself that the teacher had been too drunk to know that he was doing, but then again...people who were drunk and did certain things while in such a state, might have had a subconscious thought of actually doing such a thing while sober, ne?

_So...does that mean that he has always wanted_ _to..._

"Waya...I would like to have a word with you."

He jerked his head upright at the command, eyes widening with slight panic as he noticed that the other boys had begun to make their way towards the elevator.

"Ano...I don't...don't think I should. I mean, I have to go and get myself ready for..."

"It will only take a minute, Waya."

Giving a heavy sigh of resignation and a light wave to the concerned looks he got from Akira and Shindo, he leaned against the wall and shoved his hands into his pockets, his gaze fixed stubbornly on a painting across him. As the sounds of the elevators closing signaled their solitude, he tried hard to maintain his air of nonchalance, even as his heart continued to pound with growing worry. What if Ogata tried to make a move on him again? What was he going to do? This time around, Waya was sure that he was going not going to have the strength to push the very sober...

"I am sorry."

_Nani! _

He blinked and gawked at the older man in disbelief. "What...?"

Ogata sighed and took another drag on his cigarette before stubbing it out on a nearby ashtray. "About last night, Waya. I must have done something..." He quirked a brow at the redhead in curiosity. "You did come to my apartment last night, right?"

"Ha...hai..."

"In that case, I apologize for my behavior and I can assure you that it will not repeat itself, understood?"

"Ye...yes, sir..."

"_However_, you still had no right to come into my room without permission."

"I did knock...several times. I thought something must have happened to you."

Ogata stared at the boy with a smirk before shaking his head lightly. "Thank you for your concern, Waya. But I am sure that I can handle and take care of myself." He pulled out a packet of cigarettes from his jacket and shook it lightly. Cursing softly beneath his breath as he realized that he was out, he gave a small sigh. "You had better run along to meet your teammates. Good luck in your match today."

The redhead grinned and gave a thumbs up. "Thank you! I'll do my best!"

"Oi...you would think that this was the finals or something," Shindo muttered softly as he stared in silent awe at the jam-packed auditorium. The last four teams, Korea, Japan, China and the surprising underdog, Taiwan, were all being ushered into their seats as cameras flashed and media reporters talked on and on about the possible outcomes of the matches today.

As predicted, no one put the Japanese team as the favorite for their competition...which sent the bleached blond growling at the injustice of it all. "_Kuso!_ Do they think that we don't know how to play or anything?"

"It's only fair," Akira muttered softly as he noticed his opponent walk into the room to take his seat position. "They are the better team..."

"On paper," Hikaru interrupted with a huff. "Grrr...I can't wait to crush their faces into the dirt..."

As the blond continued with his tirade, Akira's mind went to the envelope he had hidden carefully beneath his jacket. He had tried to catch Ochi's gaze but the other boy had set out to make the situation extremely difficult for him. He gave up trying to get his attention and instead focused on the many faces that swam before him. Who could possibly be behind this? Whatever _this _was?

_Many people don't exactly like us...so it could be anyone. I hate this feeling of helplessness!_

"What's the matter, Akira?" came the concerned voice of Waya, who had finally reached the main floor. He resisted the temptation to wrap his arms around the other boy's shoulders and instead settled for a warm squeeze of his hand as he peered into the pale visage with concern. "You don't look so good. Are you...scared?"

Touya shook his head and gave his companion as good a smile as he could muster. "It's okay, Waya-kun," he replied.

_That's it! I have to find out what's in here or I am going to go insane with worry._

"Could you both excuse me for a minute or two? I have something I need to take care of."

Waya and Shindo could only blink in surprise as they watched their partner almost run away from them. They shared a bewildered look before noticing that a certain bespectacled boy was also nowhere to be found.

Akira slipped into the quiet confines of the library, making his way towards the solace of the hidden reading areas. Falling into a chair, as his legs were threatening to give way, he pulled the envelope out of his jacket and opened it quickly. With hands that shook badly, he nearly ripped it in his haste as he pulled out the pictures that promptly sent the color draining off his features.

_No...it can't be! No...who...who did this?!_

"I was shocked as well, Touya."

The dark-haired boy gasped in shock and spun around quickly. Ochi stood before him with the same cold look of disdain on his features – a condemning look that spoke volumes. Scattered across the small reading table were pictures of he and Shindo at the fair kissing...but more importantly, pictures of all three boys..._naked_ and in the throes of passion. Who in Kami's name could have gotten access to them at such a time?!

"This...this isn't..."

"Isn't possible?" Ochi cut in calmly. "Perhaps you should read the accompanying note."

Not really wanting to do so, Akira picked up the typewritten message and read it silently.

'_You are going to have to lose your match against Korea_ _or we will make sure these pictures go out to everyone. I am sure you do not want to lose your reputation, Touya Akira. Think about it before doing anything foolish. Remember, we have more of this. MAKE SURE YOU LOSE!!'_

"_Kuso!"_ He tossed the paper to the floor and buried his face in his hands, his body trembling with unsuppressed rage, confusion and misery. This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't be happening. Not to him...not now...

Ochi leaned closer and whispered into his ear. "But most importantly, Touya. I suggest you keep Shindo out of this. I don't really care what happens to you and Waya, but if you hurt Shindo again...I swear it...I will never, _ever _forgive you."

He pulled away and smirked coldly. "Good luck in your match today."

And spinning on his heels, he left the lonesome figure to his tumultuous thoughts, knowing full well that whoever had sent the pictures had only used the magic of technology to create indelible images that could very well ruin the lives of three young men...forever.


	17. Game

**Chapter Sixteen:**

_Dooshite? Why...why is this happening to me now? After all we have been through...why should this happen to us now? What have I done to deserve this? Has it become a sin to love someone...aaargh! What am I talking about? Of course this is a sin. It isn't right! If anyone got a wind of this...it could ruin our lives. And at the cost of losing a game to Korea...I have to protect Shindo and Waya. I have to...I have to..._

"Excuse me, sir, but you are Touya Akira, aren't you?"

He jerked his head upright at the light voice, worried green eyes darting towards the pictures that still lay at his side before meeting the smiling brown ones before him.

"_Ha...hai..."_ He finally managed with a light stutter.

The pretty young woman gave a sigh of relief and a light bow. "Your presence is requested in the auditorium, sir. Your teammates have been looking for you."

He vaguely recognized her as the woman behind the library's front desk and swallowing tightly, he gave a curt nod and managed a small smile. "Thank you. I will be there shortly."

"Would you like me to get you something...say water or any other kind of drink? You look a bit pale."

Akira shook his head quickly, hands reaching for the pictures as he shoved them roughly back into the envelope. "Ah...no...no, thank you. I'm fine. I will be fine."

He rose to his feet and without saying another word, he gave a slight bow, before walking towards the exits as fast as his feet could take him. He didn't want to see anyone else yet. His mind still had not adjusted to the news and shock of the past hour or so. Everything seemed like he was in a trance and he felt the insane urge to seek solace in a place where no one could ever find him.

But no, he would have to walk out in front of millions worldwide and _lose_ a match. A match that he had already won in his mind. A match that he had longed and looked forward to since his arrival to the United States and now...he would have to throw it all away just to save his reputation. But most importantly...the reputation of the two persons that meant the world to him.

He was just about to step through the glass doors, when the blazing fireplace in the lounge area beckoned him. He stood as if mesmerized, watching the hot flames flicker as his fingers tightened around the condemning envelope.

_/We have more copies!/_

_Hai! You might have more...but I won't let Shindo or Waya see this!_

With determined steps, he walked towards the flames and removing the envelope from within his jacket, he took a deep breath and tossed it into the fire. Blank green eyes stared at the shriveling black mass of the once yellow item as the flames greedily swallowed up the offering.

_I can't lose to them. I have never lost a match for no abject reason. I really don't know how to, without feeling like I have let not only myself down, but everyone else around me._

He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his hands into tight fists. "I just can't!" he whispered harshly, feeling something strange - a stubborn lump well up in his throat.

_Oh no! I can't be...not now!_

But try hard as he might, he couldn't stop the single tear that slid out of his eye and down his cheek.

_Stop it! Stop it now! You are Akira Touya! You can handle yourself in a situation like this! You have been in many difficult situations! You. Can._ _Handle. This!_

So, why in Kami's name couldn't he stop... crying?

"This is getting ridiculous. Where is he?!"

"He has been found, Ogata-sensei. Perhaps he just needed some time to get prepared for the match, that's all."

Ogata shook his head lightly, before turning his gaze towards the entrance to the auditorium. This was unlike Akira. The boy was well-known for his punctuality and readiness for any match. Why should this be any different? Yes, their opponent was strong, but it shouldn't give the 6-Dan this much cause for concern.

Something was clearly not right.

And if the sensei was worried, then Shindo and Waya were downright sick with it. The two boys had tried hard not to bound out of their seats to go in search of their elusive partner. Perhaps, it was from their shared experience last night, but it seemed as if they were now more attuned to one another's emotions. And right now...it felt as if Akira was filled with a deep sadness that neither one of them could even begin to imagine.

Shindo tightened his clasped hands, which were upon his lap, and bit hard on his lower lip as he stared at the clock. Their match was to begin in less than five minutes and still there was no sign of the captain.

A harsh 'Kuso! Where the hell is he?' from Waya had the blond glancing at his friend in concern. The red head looked angry, but beneath it, Shindo could sense the waves of anguish and worry that rolled off his being, causing him to reach out to clasp Waya's hand in reassurance.

The low murmurs around the room began to gather momentum as the officials began to whisper amongst themselves. The Japanese team would have to begin with a forfeit if Touya didn't show up in less than two minutes. And with that worrisome thought in mind, everyone knew just how hard it would be for Shindo and Waya to make up for the loss.

"Here he is!" came a cry from someone which, had everyone turning around to glance at the striding figure.

And with a voice that was as calm and collected as ever, Touya gave a light bow, his features painfully expressionless, as he made his way towards his seat. "I apologize for keeping everyone waiting. I had a very important business to attend to. Please, may we begin now?"

Shindo gave a visible sign of relief and tried to catch Akira's eye as he whispered softly. "We thought you weren't going to show up. We were worried about you."

Waya piped in with a smirk. "We were going to kill you if you didn't show up either way, Touya. You are lucky you came..."

"Please focus on the match ahead of us. We came here to win a tournament, ne?"

Shindo and Waya blinked in surprise at the cold reply from the boy who hadn't even spared them a glance since his arrival. There was a look of cold determination on his features – an intensity that sent a chill down their spines as they recognized the familiar meaning behind it. Something had clearly happened and somehow...they were being left out of it.

This got Waya very upset and as the officials began to make the announcements, he grit his teeth and bit out coldly. "What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you acting like such a jerk all of a sudden?!"

"Touya..." Hikaru began softly, only to suck in a harsh breath at the icy look that was thrown his way.

"What is it, Shindo?"

Hikaru felt something die a little in his heart as he lowered his gaze and turned back to face the goban before him. "No...nothing," came the hollow whisper filled with pain as he tried to make sense of what had happened to the warm and caring person that he had given his innocence to. Why the sudden change? What had he done wrong to bring back the cold Touya he had always known?

As for Waya, he could only scowl and reach for Shindo's hand to give it a light squeeze, for the officials had already rang the bell for the matches to begin.

Nigiri done, Touya ended up having to be black, Shindo – white and Waya – black. And with collective cries of 'Please', the players began the battle to see who would claim the final spot for the tournament.

As predicted, Akira's opponent started out with a tengen, which he promptly responded to, with a placement at the upper right corner of the board. Although, he remained calm and indifferent to the moves that were being played against him - inside, he was in a state of emotional chaos. It had taken all of his strength to put on the cold attitude towards Shindo and Waya, but he knew that he had had to do that for their own sakes. Things would have to get back to the way they were before...

He closed his eyes briefly as Shindo's look of confusion and pain seared through his mind. He had wanted to apologize profusely for his behavior. He had wanted to hold them in his arms, to explain his attitude towards them, but he found that he couldn't. He wouldn't even have had the time to do so.

_Please...please forgive me. But this is for the best. For all of us._

He opened them again, narrowed depths gazing at the current stone formations. From the look of things, his opponent seemed to have the upper hand. His white stones had attacked his territory quite well, but anyone looking closely would have seen that Touya's stones had a definite pattern to them that could easily win the match.

_/YOU MUST LOSE!!/_

He winced inwardly and clenched his fingers around the black stone in his hand. His intended location for it would have to be changed. And if he did play _this_ way...there was no doubt that Ogata, Amano-san, Kurata-san and even any other official or spectator watching, would know that it was a particularly stupid move.

_I can't...I can't do this...I have to...to..._

The memory of the four way tie he had forced himself to do against the corrupt council man and his entourage flashed through his mind again and deciding that he had nothing to lose, he placed his stone and held his breath, hoping that his opponent wouldn't read too much into this to spoil his future intentions.

_I won't win...but I have absolutely no intentions of losing this match!_

He stole a quick glance at Shindo and Waya's matches. As he had guessed, both boys were still in their middle games. However, they had both used up more time than their opponents, which was certainly not very good. So far, it looked like they were both even with their counterparts.

_So far, so good. One tie...and then...the rest is up to you, Shindo...Waya._

He suddenly felt the hairs at the back of his neck prickle with awareness. Placing his stone on the board again, he dared to steal a glance at who his intense watcher was. Sure enough, standing a few feet away, with hands in his pockets, was Ochi with a neutral expression on his features. Akira's eyes narrowed with hate and disdain as he noticed the boy give him a nod of acknowledgement. Knowing that Ochi was somehow behind this, did nothing to ease Akira's mind and he could feel his animosity for his teammate grow with each passing second.

And to think that Ochi was supposed to be on Shindo's side.

Snorting lightly, he turned his attention back to the board and forced himself to concentrate on the match at hand.

As for Shindo, who had Hon Suyon as his opponent, he was grateful that he had played the other boy in the past, for right now, he was only relying on past stone formations to help him in this match. His mind was clearly not focused and he kicked himself inwardly for allowing Touya's attitude to get to him this much. He shook his head and worried his lower lip as he stole another glance at his clock. He had so much less time now and he hadn't even begun to scratch the surface of what Suyon had in store for him. What had happened to all his talk about beating Korea hands down? Where had all that jibe about getting in their faces and rubbing their noses in the dirt gone? And here he was...sitting down like a man frozen in fear, unable to play the way he should have.

_Sai...what am I doing? Help me...Sai!! I need this match! I can't let Touya get to me like that. He is determined to win his match and so am I. I can't...lose! _

He placed his stone and turned to look at Akira's game, only to blink at what met his gaze. Korea's first board was a tough player, but from the kifu they had studied the days before, Akira had been able to see through the familiar moves easily enough. So why then did it look as if they were in a..._tie?_

He stole another look, this time to Akira's tense features. The boy looked as if he was concentrating extraordinarily hard for this and Hikaru could feel something cold creep up his spine. He couldn't place a finger on it...but it seemed as if Touya _didn't want to win_ his match. Why?!

"Touya..." he whispered softly, only to jerk alert as the bell went off for the lunch break. Unaware that he had been holding his breath, he stretched out aching muscles and got to his feet unsteadily...only to sit back down as he noticed that neither Touya nor Waya had made a move.

The Koreans left for their own lunch breaks, leaving several officials and the Japanese contingent staring at each other in bewilderment. Ogata had a scowl of irritation on his features as he stared at Touya's board. He knew he couldn't comment on the way the game was being played or to give advice or ask Akira why he was playing the way he did, but that didn't stop Amano-san from piping up with a bemused frown.

"Hmmm...if I didn't know any better, I would say that Touya-sensei is playing rather conservatively. Why would he be trying to create a tie?"

"So, you saw through that too, ne?" came the dull reply as Ogata spun on his heels to make his way out of the room. "Call me when the match begins again. I am going to the library to think."

"Aa..."

Kurata-san, however, had no intentions of being that discreet. He quirked his lips into a small pout as he looked at the three boards, especially Akira's. "You are playing too conservatively, Touya. What are you trying to do? Lose?"

Amano-san looked distressed as he tried to shut the other man's mouth up. "You cannot discuss the game right now, Kurata-san! You will get him disqualified!"

"He might as well disqualify himself now. What's the use of continuing when he is only going to lose in the end anyway."

"Kurata-san!"

"_Urusai!"_ Came the angry bellow from Waya, who had now risen to his feet with a loud scrape of his chair across the floor. With hands clenched into fists at his side, he pinned blazing golden depths on the plump man, his breathing coming out in harsh gasps, as he spoke in a cold voice. "What do you know about _anything_? You just stand there and judge him like he is supposed to be an immortal or something?! He is a human being for chrissakes! He can lose or win if he wants to! So stop putting him on such a fucking pedestal and get back to reality! He is not invincible or a machine! So stop talking and treating him like he is one!"

And with that tirade, he spun on his heels and stormed out of the room, leaving behind several stunned expressions and whispers that gradually gained in momentum.

Akira could only blink in surprise at the disappearing redhead, who was soon quickly followed by Shindo. He felt something strong stir in his chest as he tried to digest what Waya had said. All his life, he had believed himself to be 'untouchable'. Yes, he lost matches every once in a while, but whenever he did, it was always followed by the call of he not being at his best. And he had always believed that. He had always carried the notion that he could not be defeated and that if he was...it was due to a miscalculation on his part.

But not once...not _once_ had anyone ever stood up for him in such a way. No one had ever tried to see that behind the tough facade was a boy who had just as many insecurities and concerns as any other teenager. And now...for the first time in his life, someone had actually defended him and in front of many others.

He closed his eyes and held his hand to his chest, trying to stop the fierce pounding that seemed to grow louder and louder in his ears. _Arigato...Waya..._

_And now...I know what I must do..._

"Waya! Wait up!" Shindo cried as he ran after the still striding redhead. Having to pick up his pace, he finally caught up to him and even had to stand in front of Waya to stop his movements. "_Kuso!_ I said wait!" he cried out again as he wrapped his arms tightly around the lithe body. He was shocked to find the redhead was trembling like a leaf and thinking that he was probably still angry, Shindo pulled back a little, only to blink at the streaks of tears on the handsome face.

"Waya..."

"He is a jerk, Shindo! A good for nothing jerk who cares only about himself!"

"Waya...he isn't..."

"Why did I stand up for that bastard anyway? I should have just let them continue to talk to him in that way! Why do I have to be such a...a..._fool_!"

The tears fell harder and he could only tighten his arms around Shindo's waist, burying his face against the strong neck as he tried hard to make sense of why he was crying in the first place. But the tears wouldn't stop. He couldn't make them stop. He could barely feel the gentle hands on his hair or the soothing words of reassurance that escaped Hikaru's lips. All that filled him now, was an emptiness that threatened to drive him insane.

"I hate him, Shindo," he muttered thickly. "I hate him...hate him for doing this to us. Hate him for making me…feel this way."

Hikaru couldn't find the words to say in response. He could only hold onto Waya like a lifeline knowing that he ought to feel the same way, yet knowing that there was something that stopped him from making such quick judgment. He placed a soft kiss on Waya's hair, ignoring the looks they received as he began to lead them back towards the building. He immediately froze as he noticed Ochi walking briskly towards the west wing of the large venue and with a light frown on his features, he nudged Waya gently, causing the red head to lift his head with a light sniffle and a look of confusion on his features.

"What is it, Shindo?"

"It's Ochi."

"What about the little bastard?" Waya asked as he pulled out of Shindo's embrace to wipe his tears with the sleeve of his shirt, now feeling slightly embarrassed at his earlier antics.

Hikaru had already begun to walk towards the direction where he had seen the bespectacled boy walk into, leaving Waya to curse softly and to run after him.

"What do you think you are doing, Shindo? We have to go get lunch. I'm starving."

"Not yet," came the curt reply as he made a turn around the corner, only to blink as he saw that it was a dead end.

Waya groaned and shook his head in disbelief. "Satisfied now? Let's go..."

"He came here. I know he did. I saw him come right in here."

"Saw who? Why are we here?!"

Hikaru slapped a hand over his partner's mouth and frowned. "Shsssh...do you hear something?"

The redhead was about to protest, when the light scuffle was heard. They both spun around slowly to blink at the door that they had barely noticed at the side of the building. The scuffles grew louder as angry voices rose. Sure enough, they could hear the familiar voice of their teammate and he seemed to be pleading for something. However, the next sound that filled their ears had them clutching each other in abject terror.

Ochi had just given a blood curdling _scream._


	18. Set

**Chapter Seventeen:**

The scream was followed by silence.

A silence that did little to ease the chill that still ran down their spines.

Hikaru held onto Waya's arms as tightly as he could, forgetting to breathe as a million scenarios of what could have happened to his fellow teammate, filled his racing mind.

_He's dead! He has to be! With that scream?? Who could survive whatever torture he must have gone through?_

"Shindo...we have to go in," Waya finally muttered huskily. He was just as terrified, but he knew that one of them would have to keep their wits about him, or all hell could break loose. As for Hikaru, he was already shaking his head before the redhead was done speaking.

"No way!" came the harsh whisper, green eyes widened with fear. "I am not going in there, Waya! What if something happens to us as well?"

The red head gave a snort and eyed his companion with a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Hello? Weren't you the one who wanted to find out what was wrong with him? You made us come here and now you want to leave without finding out what happened to..." He stopped and sniffed the air. "What's that smell?"

Shindo repeated his actions, only to gasp as he began to point towards the door. "It's _smoke!_ It's smoke, Waya!"

"Kuso! Let go of me, Shindo! We have to go in now!" And releasing the death grip on his arm, he tried to pull on the steel doorknob, only to curse even louder as the door refused to budge. "Damn it! It's stuck!"

"Let me help."

With twin grunts of exertion, both boys tugged as hard as they could on the immovable object. The smell of the smoke was getting worse with each passing second and by this time, tendrils of it had begun to escape the top and bottom parts of the steel entry. Coughing and wheezing for air, it was becoming hard to continue their attempts. Waya staggered back weakly, trying hard to speak through his smoke-filled lungs.

"We...we have to get...help, Shindo."

Hikaru nodded and slapped a hand over his mouth, eyes getting teary as the smoke continued to grow. "Go...I'll stay here for a while...just in case..." He coughed again and had to release the doorknob. He could only imagine what Ochi was going through in there right now. "Hurry up, Waya! We don't have too much time!"

Giving a quick nod of understanding, the red head gave a thumbs up sign and began to make his way back to the auditorium as fast as his legs could take him.

Akira continued to stare blindly at the board before him. Although he had come to a decision on how to handle the situation with Ochi, the worries did not cease as he stole another glance towards the exits. Shindo and Waya had been gone for some time now and his gut instinct had told him to go after them. But, he also had the feeling that neither boy would wish to talk to him at this time, thanks to the way he had spoken to them earlier.

Rubbing a hand wearily over his eyes, he sighed softly and closed them. He could still hear Kurata and Amano-san arguing over his game and to be honest, it was becoming a bit aggravating to listen to. He knew he would have a lot of explaining to do over the way he had been playing so far, but knowing that he had nothing to lose, he was determined to dig himself out of the hole he had created and to pull off a win somehow.

And speaking of winners...where in the world were Waya and Shindo?

Hikaru wondered why no one had come by to help out with the smoke yet. Sure they weren't exactly in a place where the public frequented, but still...someone ought to have noticed the rising, black telltale sign of trouble.

He leaned against the wall and squeezed his eyes shut tightly. He was beginning to cough badly and the air around him was thinning rapidly as well. But he couldn't leave Ochi alone in there. His teammate could very well be dead by now.

_ Kami...please...help me. _

"Hey! Kid! What the hell is going on in there?!"

Running footsteps had the blond spinning around in gratitude as he noticed the burly man making his way towards him. Knowing that his grasp of the English language was limited, Hikaru tried to get his message across as quick as possible.

"Friend...my...friend...in there!" He pointed desperately, as the man gaped at him in confusion.

"You've got someone in there?!" He asked and seeing the quick nod from the young boy, he cursed and began to bang on the door with a booted foot. "Shit! This damn place hasn't been used in years! No one knows where the key is! How the hell did he get in there in the first place?!"

Shindo could only shake his head, wishing that he could have paid more attention in English class. This communication barrier was becoming very annoying.

He watched the man continue to bang on the door with his foot. And after a few more tries, the sound of the steel door giving way was like sweet music to his ears. He gave a cry of 'Yatta!' as the door fell in, only to quickly cover his mouth again as the smoke billowed out of the room. Coughing and ignoring the cries of the man to get out of there, Shindo ran inside, eyes squinting against the clouds of black as he struggled to find the elusive boy.

He didn't dare call out Ochi's name, for he knew that he would inhale a lot more of the polluted air. He could barely see a thing. The smoke had filled the entire room and his vision was getting worse by the second. He could vaguely hear the sounds of sirens approaching the building but that was the least of his worries. He had to find Ochi and fast.

_ Can't...hold on..._

Lack of oxygen...the huge intake of carbon monoxide...his blurred vision...his heart feeling as if it was going to burst into two – the blond could barely think at this point. The room seemed like it was expanding and he realized dully that he was beginning to feel faint. Falling to his knees, he began to crawl on all fours, noticing again that there were no obstacles in the room. Deducing that this place was just an empty space used for nothing, he was pleasantly surprised to find his hands gripping onto something that felt like a shoe.

Only a shoe.

_ Oh, no! Ochi! Where are you?!_

With panicked movements, ignoring the waves of dizziness that washed over him, Shindo continued to search blindly. He no longer had his nose or mouth covered and it was now taking only sheer strength and determination to keep him going at this point. His fingers brushed against pieces of paper...that felt eerily like photographs and as he continued to move, the source of the fire became obvious as he felt the sweat begin to trickle down his face.

Knowing that he had little or no time at all to think now, Shindo made another desperate lunge to find a body. He was rewarded with the feel of something warm and solid beneath his palms and holding onto, what he now knew to be a leg, he muttered out a soft prayer of thanks, before giving up the fight and passing out into blissful oblivion.

"HELP!" Came the loud bellow from the wild looking redhead as he dashed into the auditorium.

Amano and Kurata had the decency to stop their arguments, along with many others, who gasped at the frazzled looking youth before them. Akira leapt to his feet and walked briskly towards Waya, green eyes filled with panic as he put two and two together to make ten.

"What is it, Waya? Where is Shindo?!" Came the panicked questions, as he placed his hands on the other's shoulders and shook him roughly. "What happened to him?!"

Waya growled and shoved the hands away from him angrily. "Leave me alone, Touya," he spat out coldly as he narrowed his eyes to pin the icy depths on the dark-haired boy. "Like you care."

And turning away from the hurt and stunned look on Akira's visage, he made his way towards the officials. "Please! My teammates have been caught in a fire!"

This got everyone talking at once as the officials began to motion for all the guests to calm down and not panic. "Where is this fire?" someone asked, but Waya had already began to make his way out of the room again and he was soon followed by several others who wanted to know what the commotion was all about.

Akira felt as if a dagger had been pierced through his heart at the way Waya had spoken to him.

_/Like you care./_

Of course, he cared. He had cared so much that he had been willing to sacrifice their chances to win the tournament, so that their reputations could still be in tact. Or didn't that mean anything?

"Touya-sensei? Aren't you going to find out what's going on?"

He stared blankly at the orange-haired man for a moment before giving a curt nod. "Hai! I'm on my way! Please let Ogata-sensei know about this!" And not waiting to see his response, Akira ran after the throng of people towards the hubbub.

_How dare he? How dare he ask me about Shindo when he treated us like that?! Screw you, Touya Akira! Who needs you?!_

He made the turn and blinked in surprise at the amount of fire trucks and men that had begun to put out the flames. His eyes scanned the crowd quickly, but he could see no sign of the familiar bleached locks. Growing increasingly worried, he pushed his way through the people that had now lined up to watch the events, only to find himself almost shoved to the floor as a policeman shook his head.

"Sorry, kid. You can't cross the yellow line."

"But my friend is in there!" he replied quickly, groaning at the look he received as he realized that he had spoken in Japanese. This was not good at all. How was he to know about Shindo and Ochi's conditions when he couldn't even communicate with the authorities?

A familiar voice spoke up beside him, causing Waya to gape at the arrival of Kim. Thanking the gods for his good fortune, he listened idly to their conversation, his eyes still pinned on the firemen's activities before him.

_Please be alright, Shindo. And even you too, Ochi...much as I hate to wish anything good for you._

Kim tapped his shoulder lightly. "He says that they still can't allow anyone to go in there, but that they brought out three bodies from the room."

Waya suddenly felt as if the world had gone still. His heartbeat sounded way too loud to his ears as he began to shake his head slowly. Bodies? Had Kim just said…_bodies?!_ "No...no...it can't be..." He gripped Kim's shoulders and shook them roughly. "Ask him if they are dead! Were they dead?!"

"Oow...you are hurting me, Waya," Kim whined in protest as he turned back to ask the policeman again. He managed to gasp out weakly. "He says he is not sure. They just brought them out and took them straight to the hospital."

"What hospital?"

The trio spun around to face the stoic visage of Ogata. Flanking his sides were Akira and Amano-san. Kurata could be seen speaking to some members of the press and Waya had no doubt in his mind that the situation was bound to become headline news. What would become of the tournament now? He shook his head quickly. How could he be thinking of such a thing when his friends were probably dead by now?

Luckily, Ogata had spoken directly to the policeman and so there was no need for Kim to continue with his translations. The officer tipped his hat and replied. "Beth Israel Medical Center. You guys related to the victims?"

"Two of the victims," Ogata said quietly, as he motioned for Waya and Akira to follow him. "Thank you, officer..."

"You could take a ride in the patrol car over there," the man offered with a light nod. "Much faster...I mean since you guys are foreigners and all."

The boys gave a pleading look to their mentor and seeing the desperation in their gaze, the blond gave a curt nod. "Fine. Please lead the way, sir." He stopped to give a final word to Amano-san. "The press will no doubt wish to speak to us about this, but please under no circumstances are the boys to be interviewed, do you understand? I want them out of the spotlight as much as possible."

The Go reporter nodded in understanding. "Hai, you can count on me, Ogata-san. Take care now."

He watched as the officer ushered the three men into the vehicle and giving a soft sigh of distress, he brought out his cell-phone and began to long process of getting this breaking news to the viewers and readers back home.

The ride to the hospital was a pensive one as all three remained lost in their own thoughts.

A trip that was supposed to be a way to promote the wonderful game of Go, had somehow ended up becoming a nightmare for the young players. Never in their wildest dreams, would they have imagined that things would turn out this way. The past two weeks had seemed like a lifetime. They had learned so much from each other in the past few days than the entire five years they had been together.

Waya tore his gaze from the window to glance at his long time rival and now...lover. A word that he would never have thought would be used for the dark-haired boy. He could see that Akira was trying hard to put up the tough act, for Waya could tell from the clenched fists on his lap, that the 6-Dan was far from calm.

But, it still did not excuse his reason for acting so cold towards them at the auditorium.

_You probably regret it, Touya. I wouldn't put it past you to feel that way. But, please...for Shindo's sake, try to act like you really care for him, even if you do not care for me in that way at all._

And swallowing the stubborn lump that had risen to his throat again, Waya turned away. And in so doing, he failed to noticed the single tear that slid down his silent companion's cheek.

"_This is Brenda Garrisson with some breaking news. Earlier this evening, at the main auditorium where the semi-final matches were to be held at the International Go Competitions, the news of a fire breaking out in an abandoned part of the complex was reported. Police and firefighters are yet to discover the source for the fire, but they did find three bodies in there, two of which belong to the young Japanese players. The first _ _identified person goes by the name of Shindo Hikaru, the other Ochi Yousuke. The third person is yet to be identified, but speculation so far, seems to place the young man as a suspect for setting the fire. What motives were behind this? No one knows as of yet. Police are still trying to get some answers to these questions. Eyewitnesses are needed to give accounts of any possible suspicious movements. And as you can well imagine, family members of the victims have been contacted and told the awful news. As for tournament, the officials say that the games will continue tomorrow, but since the Japanese team will be unable to compete, the automatic win goes to the Koreans, thereby eliminating any hopes for Japan_ _to win the coveted cup this year…_

"Unfortunate tragedy really," the doctor remarked softly as he eyed the three men sitting in the main lobby of his hospital. "I mean, about your country not being in the tournament any more." He reiterated quickly, as he noticed the soft gasps and panicked looks on the young boys' faces.

He held out his hand and smiled warmly. "My name is Dr. Hirokawa. It's a pleasure to meet my fellow country men."

Ogata received the handshake with a dull smile. He looked as if he had aged in the space of a few hours. "The pleasure is all mine, doctor. But…how are the boys?"

"Ah, yes…the boys. They will live. The one named Shindo inhaled a lot of carbon monoxide, so his lungs took quite a hit from it. As for the other one…Ochi…" The doctor frowned lightly and shook his head. "He must have gotten involved in some sort of scuffle, for we found that he had several broken ribs and quite a blow to his face. Does he wear glasses?"

Waya and Akira nodded slowly, both unable to believe that such a thing could have happened to the obnoxious teenager. Touya was more concerned as he tried to fit the puzzled pieces in his mind. Who could have done such a thing…and why? Did it have something to do with the damning pictures?

"Hai…he wears glasses," he replied softly. "Is…do you think he will be alright?"

Hirokawa smiled and nodded. "No worries. Just a few stitches here and there and he should be ready to speak to you all tomorrow. The same with Shindo, of course. Unfortunately, his glasses were not recovered so we have decided that we may have to give him contacts or if he still prefers to wear glasses, we can provide that for him as well. So…I am assuming that you are Waya?" He asked nodding towards the pallid redhead.

"Yes, I am…"

"I hope you do not mind, but you are needed by the police for some questioning." At Ogata's frown and Waya's worried look, the doctor chuckled lightly. "No, no, no. You are not going to be put in prison or anything. They just need to find out some things from you about what happened, hmm? The officer is right this way, if you will follow me."

Waya gave a small nod and was just about to get to his feet, when he felt the hand reach for his gently. He stiffened at the touch, barely able to mask his surprise at the warm and almost pleading look that Akira gave him. Swallowing tightly - fighting the sudden insane urge to break down again - he gave a small smile and returned the pressure on the warm flesh. Mouthing a soft 'Arigato' he released his hand gently and warily followed the waiting doctor and policeman into another room.

Ogata hung up the phone and ran his fingers through his hair wearily. Pacing up and down the nearly empty hallway, he stopped in front of the sleeping duo on the rather uncomfortable looking couches before him. Not really conscious of what he was doing, he tucked the pale blue blankets around their forms, before stepping away quickly as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn't have. He walked up to the large glass windows and stood with hands in his pockets, staring blindly at the scene of New York's nightlife below him.

He had just gotten off the phone with Touya Kouyo and even though the Meijin had sounded assured and confident on the other end, Ogata had a feeling that he was just as concerned if not downright worried about the situation. According to Amano-san, Shindo's mother had wanted to come down to visit her son and Ochi's grandfather had insisted that he would pay for the trip.

_Just what we need. more and more of this goddamn circus._

Several things that had happened today did not sit too well with the bespectacled man. From Akira's erratic play this morning, to Ochi being found in a room that was rarely used and almost beaten to death…the fire…something had gone horribly wrong along the way and he hated this feeling of helplessness at not being able to do a thing about it. Several policemen had now been stationed as bodyguards for the boys and several were patrolling the building at this very moment.

_Just what we all need._

Deciding to take another peek into Shindo and Ochi's room, he opened the door carefully and eyed the silent room with an unexplained tug of emotion in his heart. The two boys lay on twin beds side-by-side, with IVs attached to their right arms. While, Shindo looked relatively okay, Ochi's head had been wrapped with several bandages including his torso and an arm. The small boy looked even smaller within the pristine sheets. The normal scowl on his features had been reduced to a smooth view of a boy that looked much younger than his seventeen years.

Bouquets of flowers from well-wishers and fans alike filled a corner of the room. Not surprisingly, the news had spread like wild fire and it had taken a lot of persuasion from Amano-san and himself to get the press to allow the boys some time to recuperate from all the excitement.

So, they weren't going to win the cup this year after all, came the stray thought from the older man as he stepped out of the room and made his way back to his chair to settle in for the long night ahead.

But, surprisingly he came to find that it didn't really matter much to him any more.

For four young men had suddenly become so much more than just Go players to him.


	19. Match

**Chapter Eighteen:**

"Please sir, we cannot allow you into that particular section of the wing. It has been closed to all visitors at this time."

"But you don't understand. I must speak with Ogata-sensei immediately. It's very important."

"I'm sure it is, but hospital policies and from their personal requests, I still cannot allow you to go in there. You are just going to have to wait until he sends for you himself."

The orange-haired man gave a sigh of exasperation as he tried hard not to yell at the smug-looking nurse before him. Calming himself down, he tried again. "Okay...will you at least tell him that Amano-san is here."

The nurse eyed him warily for several moments before whipping out a notepad and a pen. "How do you spell that, sir?"

"A-m-a-n-o. Please tell him that I have an important message from back home. If I can talk to him immediately..."

"Yes, sir. I understand," she cut in rather rudely, and spun around to pick up the phone to dial her counterparts that were on the upper floor. She had had a very long night dealing with press people and curious onlookers who had bombarded her all night with requests to see their latest patients. She didn't get what the ruckus was about. They were just teenage boys and not even Hollywood movie stars or popular athletes, but yet...they were being treated like rock stars. And it wasn't as if the presence of the police around the building made the situation any better, so at this point, she was very short-tempered and not in the mood to deal with pesky people.

"Your message has been sent," she finally said with a bored tone. "Would you like to wait in the lobby? There are some complimentary doughnuts and coffee." Like she really cared if he had some or not. It was six o'clock in the morning and all she wanted was her warm bed and a nice hot bath.

Amano nodded with another heavy sigh and made his way towards the stiff looking chairs. Sitting down on one of them, he picked up the copy of USA Today that lay on the coffee table, and sure enough, taking a rather small portion of the front page, was the story of the fire that had broken out in the auditorium. According to the report, three boys had been brought out from the fire and while two of them were still recuperating in the hospital, the third body had been found dead on arrival. The police were yet to identify who the person was. As for the tournament, the officials had decided to hold off for the day as a sort of tribute to the fallen Japanese team. The competitions would continue, in earnest, with the finals tomorrow.

Amano gave a small and wistful smile. He had hoped he would be covering the finals with his countrymen being the highlight of the story, but as Fate would have it, he was left here thanking Kami that they were still alive. What exactly had happened in there? What were the two boys doing in such a place to begin with? His reporter's inquisitive mind was already looking into various scenarios and situations and with a light nod; he picked up his cell phone and decided that some detective work was in tow.

"Oi..._moshi moshi_...yes, please get me Hitori-kun on the line. Hai...there is something fishy about this case and I want you to look into it for me..."

Ogata rinsed his face in the sink of the small bathroom. Raising his head, he stared at his wan reflection in the mirror, noticing with a faint grimace that his eyes looked tired and that he needed a shave as well. Reaching for the white towel nearby, he wiped his face dry and slipped his glasses back on.

He had had little to no sleep and his neck ached thanks to his upright position all night. Patting himself down, to get some semblance of decency, he reached into his pocket to bring out a cigarette, only to remember that smoking was not allowed in the building. Groaning in dismay, he pushed open the door and walked back out to the lobby where Akira and Waya could be seen staring at the floor silently.

He stopped before them, not even sure of what to say at the moment. They had been through a lot and Ogata wasn't sure that he could say anything to make them feel better. He finally settled for a curt 'Good morning' which had both of them starting as if caught in headlights.

"Ah...good morning..." Waya mumbled softly, blushing lightly in embarrassment at being surprised in such a way.

Akira responded with a similar greeting, only to add a quick, 'Can we see them now?' which earned a look from Waya and a shake of Ogata's head in refusal.

"Why not?" Waya asked rudely, as he too was getting too impatient.

"Because we are not supposed to," Ogata replied calmly. "They are still resti..."

"It's not fair. We haven't seen them since the fire. Why can't we...?"

"Here's an idea," came the curt interruption from the sensei. "Why don't you both go freshen up a little in the bathroom? There are some extra toothbrushes and anything else you might need in there and by the time you come out...I am sure they will allow you to see them, okay?"

The red head was about to open his mouth to give another smart-mouthed reply, but was pulled to his feet by Akira, who placed a finger against his lips to silence any protests he might have had.

"We will be right back, Ogata-sensei," he said with a light bow. "Let's go, Waya."

Not giving him a chance to say a thing, Akira had them inside the bathroom with the door firmly locked behind him. Waya snarled and released his arm from the 6-Dan's grip, glaring daggers at him in disbelief. "What the hell was that for, Touya?" he bit out coldly, only to gasp in surprise as he felt Akira's lips against his, successfully silencing any other thing he might have said.

Waya struggled within the intimate embrace, his face flushing with heat as he tried desperately to push the other boy away. He shouldn't...no, they shouldn't be doing this when Shindo was lying on a hospital bed probably dying.

_Touya...Akira...please...don't..._

He opened his mouth to protest and immediately regretted the act, for Touya used the opportunity to thrust his tongue within the parted lips, a low moan of pleasure escaping him as their heated appendages met and clashed in a silent duel. Waya closed his eyes, his legs finally giving way. He was unable to fight any longer and with tears of resignation and frustration sliding down his cheeks, he wrapped his hands around the other boy's neck and gave in to the breathtaking kiss, his mind churning and whirling with possible reasons for why Touya was doing this now.

Finally, just when they both thought they would faint from lack of oxygen, Akira released Waya with a small sigh, never relinquishing the hold he now had on the redhead's lean waist. Waya opened his eyes weakly, licking his swollen lips as he tried to get his frazzled thoughts back in some sort of order. Imagine his shock and surprise at seeing a similar trail of tears on his lover's face, causing him to gasp softly.

"Aki...Akira...why...?"

The 6-Dan rested his forehead against Waya's, staring deeply into the puzzled golden depths before him. "Waya..." He paused, not really sure on how to continue.

"What is it, Akira? Tell me! You are beginning to freak me out."

Akira stared into the beautiful eyes knowing that what he would say might change the entire dynamics of their relationship. But he had to tell someone or he was going to go insane. And taking a deep breath, he croaked out weakly.

"Waya...I...I...I think I might have...have had something to do with...with what happened to Ochi today."

Ogata paced restlessly outside the room door. He had taken another peek to see how the boys were doing and from what he had seen so far, both were resting comfortably in their beds, still fast asleep. He walked towards the large glass windows, his hands rubbing across his mouth in agitation. God, he needed a smoke, but he would have to leave the building and he didn't want to leave without letting the boys know where he had gone. Sighing in defeat, he was just about to help himself to some of the refreshments that had been laid out on a side table for them, when the sound of footsteps had him spinning around sharply.

"Mr. Ogata, I believe."

The blond nodded with a small smile at the nurse. "Yes, I am. What can I do for you?"

The young woman blushed lightly at the handsome man before speaking. "You have an important message from someone named..." She eyed the notepad. "Amano. He says that he would like to speak to you. It is very urgent."

Ogata frowned lightly, dropping the doughnuts he had picked up. "Where is he?" he asked curtly, as he reached for his jacket to slip into it.

"The main lobby downstairs. Should I tell him to wait?"

"No...no, it's okay. Could you please tell the boys my whereabouts when they do come out from the bathroom?"

She smiled and gave a small nod. "Yes, sir. It will be my pleasure."

Thanking her quickly, he made his way towards the elevator, already wondering what could have possibly gone wrong for the reporter to seek him at such an hour.

Shindo flexed his wrist lightly before dropping it back down to his side as he heard the door opening. He was about to close his eyes, thinking it was probably Ogata about to come in again, only to see that it was just a nurse coming in to check up on them. He watched as she made her way towards Ochi first. She poked and prodded causing Shindo to think that she might have been checking a piece of equipment. After scribbling down a few things, she made her way over to him, only to give a small cry as she found herself staring into piercing green eyes.

"Oh my God!" She placed a hand against her chest and shook her head lightly. "You gave me quite a scare there, young man." Gathering her scattered wits about her, she managed a smile and reached for the IV to see just how much was left. "It's good to see you awake..." She eyed the name on her notepad. "Shindo. You gave everyone quite a nasty scare last night. Everyone was beginning to think that you wouldn't make it. But I am so glad. I was really rooting for you two...especially him." She turned to look at Ochi. "He is such a young kid and having to go through all of that...it kinda makes you want to kill the bastard that did that to him." She motioned for him to sit upright as she continued with her story. "And the third guy with you...poor kid. He didn't make it through the fire. The police are still wondering who he is and what he could have possibly been doing in there. It's obvious he isn't one of...you." She giggled lightly as she fluffed his pillows, before laying him back gently against it. "But on a much brighter note, it looks like you guys are becoming pretty popular, especially with the girls. Your faces were splashed all over the evening news yesterday and you should have seen all the flowers that were brought and toys and stuff. See...?"

She waved her hands towards the ones in the room and Shindo turned to see what she was gesturing towards. He blinked in surprise at the amount of flowers that had filled the corner of the room. Why hadn't he noticed that earlier? It looked like a mini-garden in here. And whatever it was that the nurse was saying (she couldn't seem to shut-up for some reason), Shindo managed to cut in with a soft.

"Thank you."

This stopped the young woman as she blushed darkly. "No problem, Shindo. You are such a sweetheart," she said with a warm smile as she did something uncharacteristic of her profession. Leaning forward, she placed a soft kiss on his forehead, only to gasp as the door creaked open and two frowning faces glared at her.

Shindo, who had turned a bright beet red at the gesture, wondered what had the female so flustered and about to reach out to place a hand on her arm, he blinked in surprise at the two boys that had now made their way into the room.

"Akira! Waya! Come! Come! Come!" He patted the side of his bed with his face breaking out into an impossible grin. "She is a very nice woman, so don't get too jealous," he teased with a light laugh as he noticed them glance at the flushed and embarrassed nurse.

"Oh, don't mind me," she said quickly as she made her way out of the room. "Oh and your teacher said to tell you that he is downstairs with Amano. He should be back shortly." Waving lightly, she left the room, leaving the three boys to stare at each other in silence...that was before Waya bellowed out.

"Shindo no baka! What the hell were you thinking going in there?! Did you want to get yourself killed?!"

The blond winced and held his hands to his ears, being careful not to move to fast or the IV needle might have done more damage to him. He chuckled and smiled sheepishly. "But I am still here, aren't I...ooooofffff!!"

Waya had grabbed him in bear hug and was currently squeezing the life out of him while Akira giggled at the gesture, before pulling the redhead away gently. "It's my turn now, Waya."

"No!"

"Waya?!" Came the ready pout. "You have held him for long enough now. It's my turn!"

"You are going to have to pry me off him, Akira. I have no intentions of letting go, got it?"

"Wa...ya...can't...breathe..."

"Let him go, Waya!"

"No!"

Shindo was beginning to turn blue. "Wa...yaaaaaaaaaa...gack!" He slumped within the crushing embrace, sending Waya pulling back in panic.

"Shin...Shindo? Hikaru...come on...I was just kidding...you didn't really pass out, did you?"

Akira groaned and frowned. "You've killed him, Waya. I hope you are happy now." He gave an exaggerated sigh, before pushing the red head away. "I guess it's time for me to bring him back to life, ne?"

Waya blinked. "What the...? Hey!"

Akira smirked wickedly as he leaned closer to Shindo and before the red head could protest, he sealed his lips against the slightly parted ones before him, eyes closing as he deepened the kiss with a groan of delight. Waya scowled at the action before snorting and turning his face away.

"Fine. Kiss Shindo for as long as you want. I am going to kiss Ochi then." And making good on his promise, he began to make his way towards the still figure on the other bed.

Shindo (somehow magically restored back to life by Akira's powerful kiss) and Akira pulled apart in disbelief. "You...you are not really going to..." came the stunned question as both boys gaped at the red head.

Waya smirked and nodded. "You don't think I can? And besides...it will be a thank you for the crap he was about to put us through."

"The...crap...?"Shindo blinked in confusion, turning to glance at Touya for answers.

The 6-Dan shrugged lightly. "It's a long story, Shindo..."

"He will tell you about it later, as soon as I am done with my job here," Waya interrupted, as he gazed down at the small boy. He had been ready to steal a quick kiss and to make himself scarce, but as soon as his eyes lay on the bruised and battered body of the boy that he loathed for the better part of his life, he felt something warm stir within his chest. Ochi might be a first class bastard, but he didn't deserve any of this...no matter how sleazy he might have been.

"Kami...what happened to you, Ochi..." he whispered softly, as his hands reached out to trace the outline of the bandaged face.

"Well, are you going to kiss him or not?" Akira taunted, not really sure why such a proposition should bother him.

"I am, I am. Don't rush me." And taking another deep breath, Waya closed his eyes and leaned forward to brush his lips against the cold ones before him.

_Quick, easy, done!_

He opened his eyes as they immediately clashed with bewildered amethyst ones. It took him about two seconds to realize that Ochi was indeed wide awake and giving a small cry, he fell to the floor, his face flaming with color as he began to shake his head.

"Don't...don't get any ideas, Ochi!" he said quickly, his cheeks darkening with even more color as he heard Akira and Shindo begin to laugh hysterically. "I...I...Kuso! Stop laughing!" He picked up a nearby flower vase and lifted it high above his head, ready to smash it onto the two laughing boys as they began to plead for their life even though the giggles hadn't stopped.

Shindo broke out into song. "Waya loves Ochi. Ochi loves Waya. Let's run away and get maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaried!!"

The redhead was now so flushed that he could barely think straight and about to open his mouth to give another vehement cry of denial, Ochi's soft voice broke into their gaiety.

"I...I am sorry."

This sobered everyone up quickly as they all spun around to face the boy who was now sitting upright with his gaze lowered to his bandaged wrists. In a voice that was thick with barely held back tears, he whispered out hoarsely.

"I am so sorry..."

Ogata spied the orange-haired reporter talking earnestly into his cell phone and quirking a brow in question, he greeted him with a light bow.

"Morning, Amano-san."

"Ah, morning, Ogata-sensei. Please give me a moment to finish this call."

The blond nodded before reaching into his pockets for his packet of cigarettes. As soon as he heard the phone click closed, he motioned for Amano to follow him outside. If he didn't satisfy his craving, he was going to be one irritated person for the rest of the day. Nodding in agreement, Amano followed the blond towards the lush and beautiful gardens. Daylight was still breaking and so the relative peace and serenity of the environ was not disturbed.

Lighting up a stick, he offered one to the reporter, before asking quietly. "What's the problem now?"

Amano took a drag of his cigarette before replying. "Shindo-kun's mother and Ochi's grandfather have arrived. They checked into the hotel about an hour or so ago. Apparently, Ochi-kun's grandfather had connections with a jet company, which was why they were so fast in arriving." He explained as he noticed Ogata's bewildered glance. "As for Touya-sensei...any word from him?"

Ogata shook his head. "He is not coming and neither is his wife. They both feel no need to come down here if their son is alright although they do send well-wishes to those hurt in the incident."

"Sounds almost cold, doesn't it?"

Ogata shrugged lightly. "Not really. After being with Touya sensei this long, you come to expect such things."

Silence fell for several minutes as they enjoyed the solitude, before Amano spoke up again. "I am trying to investigate the cause of the fire, Ogata-sensei."

This brought a frown upon the blond's features. "It's none of our business, Amano-san. The police should be looking into it now. Besides...didn't they say it was something about a faulty fuse, after all the building hadn't been used in years."

"Yes, but why would Ochi-kun and Shindo-kun be in such a place to begin with? Haven't you ever wondered why?"

Ogata refused to respond although he hated to admit that the thought had crossed his mind several times already.

"There is something not right about this picture...don't you think?" Amano insisted with another puff of his cigarette. "Don't you think that the boys were supposed to be...murdered?"

And at that thought, Ogata crushed the cigarette in his hand, unmindful of the pain caused by the burn against his palm.

"Ochi...kun..." Shindo whispered softly as he stared at the hunched figure of his teammate. He noticed that Akira and Waya had remained silent and were staring intently at the boy as if waiting eagerly for something.

What in Kami's name was going on?

Ochi sniffled and wiped the tears that had begun to fall from his eyes, not daring to turn to face the boys beside him. He took a deep breath and coughed lightly, trying to compose himself.

"Shin...Shindo..." he began weakly. "I know that we have never been friends and might never be...but...but I...for just one day, when you came to me for help...I felt as if...I felt so...happy..." He finished weakly knowing that it sounded as if he were desperately seeking approval. And maybe he did need approval, for he had some things to clear up with them. He tried to convince himself that he wasn't doing this for Akira and Waya, but for Shindo and Shindo alone. He couldn't care less what those two thought.

"The...the pictures..."

"What pictures?" Came the sharp question from the blond, who was practically out of the bed at this point.

Akira sighed softly and lowered his gaze to the floor. "This morning...Ochi gave me an envelope filled with pictures of three of us engaged in...uuumm..." He was embarrassed to find himself blushing, but he had to continue.

"We were naked and having sex," Waya finished quickly.

Shindo blushed darkly, mouth falling open in disbelief. "Wha...where...how...?"

"According to Ochi, he had found the envelope in front of the apartment door this morning and he had taken it before Ogata or anyone else could find it," Akira continued.

"Which might very well be a goddamn lie," Waya cut in with a dark frown on his features. He failed to notice the harsh breath that Ochi gave at this.

"Anyway...he gave me the envelope and I found out what it was and I knew that I couldn't risk them getting sent out to the press or into the wrong hands...because...because..." He lifted his gaze to stare at the bandaged boy sitting across him. "I was told to lose my match today or the pictures would be sent out."

Shindo shook his head trying hard to digest all that was being flung at him right now. "That's...that's not true...it's just not true!"

Waya nodded curtly. "It's true all right. I couldn't believe it myself when Akira told me earlier. Can you believe the gall of that bastard?!"

"Was...was that why you acted that way towards us in the auditorium?" Shindo asked softly as he glanced sadly at the longhaired boy.

Akira nodded in response. "I didn't know what to do, Shindo. I didn't want to us to act too intimate in public. I mean, whoever is responsible for the pictures might very well be in the crowd."

"Don't you mean, Ochi?" Waya asked coldly. "And I really don't see why you have to blame yourself for what happened to him in there, Akira? He went in there to go get some more bribe from the bastards he is working with to bring us down, right, Ochi-kun?"

"Waya..."

"He's right," Ochi interrupted softly, which in turn sent all three boys gaping in incredulity. "I was partly to blame for my demise." He laughed bitterly and lifted his bandaged arm as if checking to see if it was still intact. "But there is only one little problem with your story, Waya."

"And what's that?"

"I had nothing to do with the pictures, but I did know who was responsible for it."

All three boys asked simultaneously. "Who?!"

Ochi gave a wan smile before responding softly. "Remember the two friends you made the first night we arrived here?" As he noticed the looks of dawning comprehension on their faces, he continued. "Chris was the ring leader. He was determined to bring Touya down for that little blunder back then."

"But how did you know...?"

"While you three were busy worrying about your _love lives_, I happened to be paying attention to other things around me." Ignoring their sputters of indignation, he sighed. "Actually, it was Kim who called the room one day and I happened to be the only one in at the time."

"What did he say?"

"He told me about the plans that they had been making," Ochi replied as he lay back on the pillows. He was beginning to get a headache. "The pictures of Touya and Hikaru at the park was just a lucky shot taken by Chris's girlfriend at the fair that night. Of course, she didn't know that Touya was a...eh...boy and had only assumed it was a couple making out. She had been ready to toss it out when Chris had noticed and pounced on it like a piranha."

Waya growled in growing fury. "I will kill that son of a..."

"And so with the use of digital technology and some computer nips and tucks you could say, he went to a gay porn site and whipped up pictures of boys in the throes of passion...and using pictures of you from either magazines or internet news sites, he fixed them up nicely to make it look as if he had caught you three having sex. Any one smart enough would have noticed the poor quality of the picture anyway."

Akira swallowed his retort at the insult, unable to stop the blush of humiliation that came to his features as he realized that if he had only taken the time to go through the pictures carefully, none of this would have happened.

"It still doesn't explain what you were doing in that room, Ochi," Waya interrupted with a bemused frown.

"Chris had made tons of copies of the picture of Touya and Shindo. So even if he had no case with the digital pictures, he could still use that one against them, ne?" He narrowed his eyes and glared at Touya. "Now, I didn't do this for you, got it? I did it for Shindo. I didn't want him to get involved in any of your..."

Waya snorted lightly "Hmph! If I didn't know any better I would think you were in love with Shindo."

This sent a flood of color to both Shindo and Ochi's cheeks and deliberately ignoring the jibe, he continued. "As I was saying, I didn't do it for you. But I had managed to get one of the American boys who was into the plan to trade all the pictures to me...for a price."

"What price?" Akira asked sharply.

Ochi mumbled something, which sent all three boys craning closer to hear what he said. "We can't hear what you said Ochi..." Akira began only to cringe at the cold look that was thrown his way.

"I said I had to pay about ten thousand US dollars!"

"Holy..."

"Damn!"

"That's too much!" Akira finished with a loud cry of dismay. "How could you...?"

"Exactly. I do not have that kind of money on me and I told the boy that and he got upset and then..." He stopped as the memory of the blows he had suffered had him cradling his head in pain. He shook his head again to gather his scattered wits about him. "Anyway...he hit me...and then left me bleeding there on the floor. I couldn't remember much...except that he lit up a cigarette and then stupidly tossed the half-burned out match to the ground...and that was all I could remember before passing out."

The three boys could only stare at their teammate with reluctant and growing lights of admiration in their eyes. But not without feeling a twinge of guilt at their harsh and rough judgments of his character. Shindo coughed lightly and rose off his bed almost falling to the floor on his unsteady feet. He sat upon Ochi's bed, smiling softly at the look of mistrust that was given to him.

"I don't need your pity," he said quickly, even though the blush on his features hadn't gone away.

"You did it for me, ne?" Shindo replied softly as he placed an arm gently around the small shoulders. "You risked your life for me...us...didn't you, Ochi?"

The small boy lowered his gaze and pouted, trying hard to maintain some form of dignity. He was flabbergasted to find Akira and Waya now sitting on the other side of the bed.

"What? What are you all doing so close to me?! I told you I don't need..."

He paled at the sudden looks of mischief on their handsome faces and cringing in growing worry and fear, he tried to ward them off as they all came closer and closer to him.

"No...don't please...I don't want to..."

"On the count of three, guys!" Shindo said with a wide grin. "One...two...three!"

SMOOOOCH!


	20. Epilogue

**Epilogue:**

The burly man behind the desk stared at the three boys sitting before him with a skeptical look on his features. It wasn't as if he didn't believe them, but if he was to take this case to the higher authorities, there was sure to be a scandal like never before seen. He leaned closer to the one that had been deemed captain of the group – since he was the only one who he could converse with easily – and tapped his fingers lightly on the folder in front of him.

"Are you sure you don't want to go ahead and press charges against them? They almost ruined your careers and tried to kill your friend here."

Akira shook his head lightly. "We would rather not go through all the legal…troubles."

"So, you are just gonna let them walk away scot free, hmm?"

The boy frowned. "No, I do not think they should get away with it, but rather than have them face the courts and have to make this even more public, why don't you find some punishment suitable for them. I am sure that the American legal system can find some way to compensate for all the troubles we have been through."

The officer coughed in embarrassment and drew back, a bit intimidated by the cold look that had come into the green eyes before him. In all his years of being in the police force, he had never met anyone so articulate and well versed as this young man and his reluctant admiration for the kid grew with each passing second.

"All right. Have it your way then. I am sure that your lawyers and theirs can come to a decision and settle it out of court. I just wanted to make sure you all knew what you were getting yourselves into."

He rose to his feet and smiled warmly, holding out his hand for a handshake. "It was a pleasure working with you boys. Pity, you didn't win your…eh…competition thing. Good luck next year, eh?"

Akira accepted the offered hand with a firm grip of his own as they all rose to their feet as well. "Hai, we will be here next year. Thank you for everything, officer. You have been of great help."

"No, problem. Anytime, okay?"

They filed out of the small and quite stuffy office, to meet the curious countenances of Amano and Ogata, who had been waiting outside for them throughout the questioning process.

"Well?" Came the anxious questions from the reporter as he darted glances amongst the group. "What happened?"

The officer lit up his pipe and replied quickly. "The kid decided not to let the issue go to court, which is a wise decision on his part. I doubt you all want to deal with even more of a media circus. So, have your lawyers meet and settle the damn thing out of court. The bastards get what they deserve and you all can go back home with no worries whatsoever."

Ogata nodded and turned to face Akira, who looked lost in thought. "Is everything all right?"

When he didn't give an answer straight away, Waya nudged him to respond and starting in surprise, he blurted out hastily. "Ah…ha…hai…everything is fine."

Hikaru and Waya shared a look, wondering what had happened to make their partner so…bleak. But both had a feeling that they already had an idea of what it was.

Today was the finals of the Go tournament.

And they were not in it.

It hurt in a way that they had not imagined. If it wasn't for the circumstances that had brought them to this point, they might have been the ones sitting before millions of viewers, playing the final and crucial game of a tournament that they had coveted for years.

Amano-san noticed the long faces and felt a tug of emotion in his chest, something he had thought he would never feel in all his years of professional journalism. Clearing his throat, he placed a winning smile on his features. "There is no need to kick yourselves over something you couldn't control. Perhaps, it was Fate that brought you this far. And besides, I think you already made Japan proud. The papers are talking about nothing but your bravery and courage."

Shindo smiled softly. "In that case…can we go to watch the finals now?"

This got Ogata raising a brow in surprise as Amano gasped softly. But, seeing the determined looks in their eyes, he was unable to resist their request.

"Hai…you may."

It was between Korea and China, as many had predicted and the matches were already on the way. And since they didn't want Ochi to feel left out, they had requested gobans in the hospital room. With three boards arranged neatly in a row in front of the bed, the four boys watched the TV screen with an intensity that had sent the adults who had tried to make conversation with them, leave the room in silence.

A lot had happened since Ochi's tale of his near-death experience. After giving the bespectacled boy his 'thank-you' gift (and sending him into a state of near shock), a nurse had come in to chase Akira and Waya out, stating that both patients had needed their rest. However, the excitement hadn't ended there. Ochi's grandfather and Hikaru's mother had been waiting in the lobby, anxious and with worried looks on their visages as they asked a million questions a minute about the state of their wards. Waya's mother had called as well to speak to her son, while Akira had spent about an hour on the phone with his parents.

Shindo's stubborn nature – or it could be due to the fact that his mother had begun to nag him to death – had forced the doctor to release him later that evening. He hadn't really suffered any major burns and besides the occasional light feeling of dizziness, he was ready to make himself scarce. But before that, all four had agreed to tell the story to Ogata…without the mention of the pictures. Also dragging Amano into it, the reporter had, reluctantly, called off his investigation, more to appease Akira's plea not to pursue it any further.

Hikaru placed the stone gently on the board before sighing heavily…for the umpteenth time. "We should have been there," he finally blurted as he glanced back at the TV screen. "If only…"

"There's no need to rehash the 'if onlys' again, Hikaru," Akira replied quietly as he stared at the brilliant move that Hon Suyon made against his opponent. "What's done is done. We don't have to keep thinking about it…and besides, there is always next year as Amano-san said, ne?"

Waya gave a light snort, his handsome face trained in scowl. "We could have won this year. Now, I have to wait for almost ten months before coming back here to compete again. Damn it!"

"The tournament will be played in China next year," Ochi said quietly. He was still cooped up in bed even though he sat upright and was also tuned in to the matches. "So, even if you do not make the team, you can still come down to watch us."

"Nani?! What the hell do you mean by 'If I don't make it next year'? Not only will I make it, but I will make sure you don't make the team either!"

"Oh? And how do you plan on doing that?"

Waya was beginning to turn as bright red as his hair as he bellowed angrily. "You listen here, you know-it-all! I will win every match I play from now till the day I get selected and by then, you will never be considered a possible candidate, because I will make sure I kick your ass each and every time we meet!" Damn…and to think he had actually kissed the smirking boy's cheek the other day. It was enough to make him gag.

Akira and Hikaru watched the arguing boys for several minutes, before exchanging small grins and facing their boards again.

"Well, that was a stupid move on Le Ping's part," Shindo said softly as he eyed the stone formations of the third board. "He should have played his stone over here and then he would have claimed more territory for himself."

"He already knows that playing there will be useless, Hikaru. I thought even you of all people would have noticed that he has a plan that will choke his opponent in yose."

Shindo scowled at the familiar condescending tone. "You should talk, Mr. I-am-too-smart-for-my-own-pants. Of course, I knew that! You don't have to lecture me, damn it!"

Akira remained silent as he watched the angry expression before giving a small smile and nodding softly. "It's good to see you back…Hikaru."

"Wha…where did I go to?" came the bemused question as he eyed the other across him.

But Akira only gave an enigmatic smile and shook his head. "It's nothing. I am just happy that you are…okay, that's all." And turning back to face the screen, he ended the conversation, leaving his blond companion even more confused than ever before.

The gala that was held for the champions of the tournament was indeed a festive one as every one mingled around the large ballroom, dressed in their finest eveningwear. The Chinese had been the surprise winners after all due to strong performances from their top ace players at the final moments of their matches. But even though the winning team was the top conversation for most people, it was the performance of the Japanese team that had everyone talking even more. Not just for their effort and their near dominance from their earlier showings, but for their, rather tragic, ending.

Both Hikaru and Ochi were heralded as heroes and were each awarded 'Most courageous player' trophies for the tournament. Such an award would have been given to the player with the most daring moves throughout the matches, but in this case, no one could argue that both boys deserved the accolades. The entire team as a whole were paid a handsome amount for being in the top five and another special recognition for their contributions to the event. All in all, the night had turned out to be quite interesting and fun-filled for the quartet.

As they all sat at their table joined by Ochi's grandfather, Hikaru's mother and Amano, each trying to talk to as many well-wishers and fans as possible, Akira stiffened as he noticed the group that was beginning to make their way towards them. With a light frown on his features, he glanced towards Hikaru, Ochi and Waya and also noticed the tense look on their faces as well. What in the world could they want now?

It was the coach that spoke up first with a sheepish look as he noticed that everyone on the table had their attention on them now. "Good evening…we won't stay too long, so don't worry." He cleared his throat and shoved a blushing Chris to the forefront, which in turn sent the four Japanese boys' fists clenching in anger. "You have something to say to them, right, Chris?"

The boy looked like he would rather not say anything, but seeing the cold look his coach gave him, he shuffled his feet and replied quietly. "I…I…er…I wanted to apologize for everything that happened to you." He lifted his gaze long enough to stare into the cold ones of Akira and feeling the chill run down his spine, he finished up quickly. "What we did was…inexcusable and we just wanted to thank you guys for not…eh…taking this to court or anything."

"Of course, we still fully intend to settle everything out of court," the couch piped in with a smile. "So, don't you all worry about a thing, okay? We…really, really apologize for every inconvenience." When he got no answer from the stoic faces before him, he gave a shaky laugh and began to move away. "We will be going now. Thank you for your time…and hope to see you all in a much better…eh… circumstances next year."

As they walked away, the puzzled Mitsuko blinked in confusion as she threw bewildered glances at the silent men around her. "What…what…what did he mean by that?"

They all exchanged glances before Ogata replied with a wan 'It's nothing important.'

Boxes lay opened on the floor, clothes strewn all across the beds and cupboards, as moonlight filtered through the lace curtains, bathing its soft glow on the tousled sheets and generally unkempt room. For several minutes, only the soft ticking of the clock was heard, before the doors burst open to reveal three boys hanging onto each other, each giggling and laughing loudly as they tried to find which bed to lay down on.

With each hair looking ruffled and unkempt, black ties now loosened and hanging off their half buttoned pristine white shirts, which were barely covered by the black suits, they staggered into the room and promptly fell upon a bed that wasn't so crowded with junk.

"Ouch! Get off my back, Hikaru! You're breaking my bones!"

"I can't! Akira is on _my _back! You get off!!"

The captain rolled off with a grumble, only to burst out laughing as two pairs of tickling fingers suddenly attacked him. Holding out his hands to ward them off, he begged for mercy, only to gasp as he felt Hikaru's lips seal his laughing ones in a soft kiss.

He pulled away with a grin. "There! I finally caught you laughing, Akira."

Waya groaned and buried his face against the longhaired boy's neck. "That was so cheesy and then some, Hikaru."

"Eh? What was so cheesy about it? Are you jealous that I didn't give you one?"

The redhead snorted and sat upright. "I don't really care what you think, Shin…mmmphff…"

The kiss was slow and sweet, for Hikaru had taken the red head by surprise. Lashes fluttered closed, lips parting to accept each other's questing tongue as they dueled silently for dominance. Akira moaned at the sight and unable to stop himself, he slid his hands beneath both boys' shirts, fingers seeking and finding their sensitive nubs to toy with as he licked his lips in anticipation. It seemed like it had been eons since he had been with both his lovers, but tonight - their last night in this country - he was determined to make it one that they would never forget.

Waya sucked in a harsh breath at the dual sensations, before pulling away from Hikaru with a harshly whispered 'Stop…_onegai_…we have to stop…'

The blond blinked in surprise, even though he himself was finding it hard to think with Akira still touching him in such a way. He reached for the flushed redhead's face and caressed it gently. "What…what's wrong, Waya? Don't you want to…?"

"That's the problem," came the desperate cry as he rolled off Akira completely and lay on his side to stare out of the patio doors. "I…I can't help thinking that…we are being watched…or…just…it just doesn't feel right, that's all."

Akira and Hikaru exchanged quick glances before giving each other matching smirks. And with no warning, they began to strip the clothes off Waya's body, sending the red head blushing and crying out in embarrassment.

"What? What are you guys doing? Cut that out! Hikaruuuuu…Akiraaaaa….aaaaahh!" He gasped as he felt the lips trail down his fevered skin and trying to curl himself up in a fetal position, he turned his face away and tried again. "We have to talk now!"

Akira lifted his head from his ministrations on the redhead's stomach, frowning lightly at the tone. "What do you want to talk about, Waya? I thought we had fixed up everything now. There is nothing to worry about."

Hikaru nodded and placed soft kisses along the trembling shoulders, as he wrapped his arms protectively around the lithe waist. "Everything is over now."

The redhead trembled and fought hard to gather his fumbled thoughts about him as Akira and Shindo seemed hell bent on making him lose his mind with pleasure. With a low groan, he sank his fingers into the bleached blond locks and gently tugged the head upward to stare into bewildered green depths.

"What.About.Us?" he finally asked with a serious look in his golden depths. "What happens to us now, Hikaru…Akira? We can't just go on like this without finding out…I mean…"

His voice trailed off as all three boys lowered their gazes at the weight of the question. They hated to admit that Waya did have a point. It was all well and good that they were in a relationship of sorts right now, but what would happen when they got back home? There was no way they could continue seeing each other without arousing suspicion. People were bound to talk and even if the scandal was kept secret over here, they doubted that it would be well taken back home.

Akira grit his teeth in frustration. He was still living with his parents, but he knew without a doubt that he would have to move out on his own as soon as possible. He had no intentions of doing anything underneath his parents' roof. At least…he could respect them in that light.

"I'm moving out on my own when we get back," Hikaru said softly. "And since Waya already has a place…Akira…"

Both boys turned to look at the longhaired boy with questioning looks in their eyes. The captain dug his fingers into his palms, biting his lower lip as he realized that he had a looming bridge ahead of him just waiting to be crossed.

"I…I will move out as well…" He said with a firm nod. "I will have to speak with my father and then…then…we will see…"

Waya sighed and raised his knees to his chin. "What if he is skeptical? What if he…?"

"I'm seventeen now. He can't control my life forever," Akira replied with a light scowl on his features. "And besides, you moved out when you were fifteen, right? So, why should mine be any different?"

Hikaru chuckled and shifted across the bed to wrap his arms tightly around Akira's lithe waist. "Yeah…there is nothing to worry about. We will just take turns spending the weekend at each other's places, that's all."

"But we are going to have to be careful," Waya said with a snicker as he moved closer to the duo, to wrap his own arms around their shoulders. "Although…it does suck to have to hide like this."

This had the boys sighing softly and nodding in agreement. The situation couldn't be helped. And even though society was a little bit more receptive to their lifestyle, they doubted that _their society_ would welcome such a drastic change.

"To keep living a lie," Akira muttered huskily as he stared into the faces of the boys he loved. "We are just going to have to keep putting up the act for them, ne?"

"Heh…you always were a good actor, Akira," Waya replied with a light chuckle. "After all, you have been hiding your feelings for both of us so well, all these years. Geez…all the cold shoulder and aloofness you put up…it's hard to read you sometimes."

The 6-Dan had the grace to blush as he hid his face against Shindo's neck in embarrassment. "And what about you, Hikaru? How long have you been hiding your emotions for us?"

Hikaru's face darkened as two pairs of beautiful eyes that he must have fallen for so many years ago, stared at him with quiet anticipation. How long had he fallen for them? For how long had he wanted and needed these boys to be with him for forever if need be? He couldn't say that it had been from the moment they had met, because they had been young children, incapable of harboring such deep emotions at the time. No, it had been a steady and gradual experience. One that had come from years of spending time watching and learning each other's quirks and nuances - years of dealing with conflicting emotions that had ranged from the need for simple friendship to something much more meaningful and deeper.

And so after years of waiting, hoping and praying that such a day would arrive, he could only tighten his arms around the two boys as he lay back against the sheets, to stare at out of the window silently. No words needed to be said, for each boy knew that they would never be enough to convey what filled their hearts at this time. In just two weeks, they had discovered and had grown so much in more ways than they could imagine.

Tomorrow, they would have to leave a country that had filled them with memories that would last a lifetime. And even if their experiences here hadn't been completely happy ones, they still couldn't deny that it was something that they would cherish until their dying days.

_ Sai…my wish finally came true. We haven't won the fight to be together completely, if you know what I mean. We are still going to have a lot of obstacles to face and cross…but…but we did it, Sai. We finally won each other's hearts and that's…that's what's important, isn't it? Isn't it, Sai…? _

With a soft sigh of content escaping his lips, he caressed his dozing lovers' backs in slow circles, a giddy warmth – one of love and pride – grew within his heart as a small smile came to his lips. For as sleep came slowly to claim his weary form, a familiar soft-spoken voice filled with similar pride and admiration, whispered ever so softly into his ear...

_ You have the greatest gift of all, Hikaru, for three winning hearts have finally become one…  
_

OWARI


End file.
